Strong Wings
by HLecter511
Summary: Sometimes another chance can be a blissful experience. Ros/OC
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter:** Doctor

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"We are getting less than the usual agents around. But we are still managing to get some."

"Well, that happens when the office is located near Quantico. Don't have to go far to get a quick physical. Most transferred to a doctor that was a colleague to the retired doctor of this office."

"Yes, that is it, doc."

Being a primary care doctor and being new to the office for about a month, Dr. Octavia Draco took over the office since the last physician had retired. Now, being the new owner and head doctor of the building, Octavia taken over everything.

By taking over everything, Octavia with her physician assistants and nurses, had to go through the old files with the secretaries to go over the patients that came to this office under the original primary doctor. Some knew that the older physician retired, so most of those patients left to go to another doctor that had been a colleague of the retired one. Though a good handful of patients did stay.

"You ready for the day?" One of the assistants named Missy Chance stepped in Octavia's office with raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah, I'm ready." Octavia nodded, standing up from her desk seat then pulled on her white lab doctor coat with her stethoscope around the back of her neck.

"Alright, I will be checking them out. See you in a few."

Octavia only nod as she watched Missy leave the office to get the file to begin the first examination of their first patient of the day. Octavia turned away from the door to stare out the window that was nearby her desk. She stared out at the scenery of woods and the FBI building in the distance.

Looking at the open door to her office, Octavia heard footsteps moving around the hallways. Octavia knew that a few patients were being led into examination rooms and the medical assistants will doing the usual checkups of blood pressure, weighing, and asking some questions, but not all because Octavia will be doing most of the personal questions.

"Doctor, you're up." Missy appeared in the doorway making Octavia to nod and walked towards her, grabbing the file from her.

"First patient is a pretty handsome one." Missy winked at Octavia before walking away.

Octavia stared after the older woman that was entering her sixties in a few weeks. Missy Chance was one of the few assistants that stayed with the building and the job. Others left after the old doctor retired, but Missy stayed with another assistant. Therefore, Octavia had to rehire two new other assistants and even new secretaries.

Opening up the file, Octavia saw that she was dealing with a man that was about ten years older than her and recently got out of retirement to re-enter into the FBI.

Knocking on the exam room, Octavia heard a smooth yet strong 'come in' making Octavia to open the door and looked right at her first patient. Her first patient was taller than her, strong shoulders, short dark brown hair that appeared black, goatee going on and hazel color eyes. Missy was right, the man was attractive in some way. She could tell that he was Italian without even looking at his name.

Upon seeing Octavia, the man appeared to straighten up their posture on the exam table and eyed her with raised eyebrows.

"I know, I know. I'm a woman."

"I knew that you were when I researched this place."

"Well, Mr. Rossi, glad you decided to stay. A lot of people had moved to another doctor." Octavia pointed out as she set the clipboard with the files down on the counter top.

He only nodded while eyeing her closely as she walked towards him while pulling on rubber gloves. Octavia took another glance at the file before stepping closer to him.

"So, Mr. Rossi, you are a part of the FBI. Here I thought that you would stick to your books."

"Yes, I have joined the BAU department once again."

"Very interesting." Octavia said as she went to check his breathing.

Rossi couldn't help but shiver a little upon the coldness of the stethoscope on his back. His eyes flicker over his new doctor and he couldn't help but take her in, but also, profile her.

Dark brunette hair. Green eyes that stuck out like a sore thumb against her light tan skin. About five feet seven inches in height, slim yet athletic build upon seeing the muscles flexing in her arms and legs. Rossi couldn't help but admit that she was an attractive woman.

Rossi eyes unconsciously flicker down to her left hand. He didn't see no bumps signaling a wedding ring underneath her rubber gloves. But the necklace around her neck, he saw it was one of those necklace that a child would give to a mother. It was sterling silver with a mother holding a child.

"Do you have any sort of difficulties breathing or any sort of pain?"

"No." Rossi replied, eyeing her necklace before watching her step back.

"May you lay back?" Octavia instructed him.

Rossi laid back and let her put pressure onto his abdomen, feeling around to see if she felt anything abnormal. He shut his eyes before reopening them when she finished her actions.

"Do you have any concerns with anything? Having any thoughts?"

"I'm all set. I believe that if something was wrong, I would get question many times by my team."

"Profiling?"

"Yes."

"I'm curious." Octavia picked up the clipboard with the files to start writing information down about Rossi being in a healthy state.

"About my job?"

"About you profiling me."

That thrown Rossi off as no one asked him to flat out profile them before. Only lure him into profile the person to prove them wrong. But she asked him to do so willingly.

Staring at her, Rossi began to take her in again before looking her straight in the eyes.

"You have just received the head of being the physician for this building and own the building itself. You appear to be around forty years old, your husband is not in the picture, but have a child that is probably around five years of age. The way you hold yourself tall and lift your chin up with an authority way, you were raised in a military family. You have strong arms and legs meaning you regularly work out, most likely a star athlete in track or softball. A pitcher as your right shoulder is dropped more than your left shoulder. Were you any good?"

A smile came onto Octavia lips making Rossi to slightly smirk too.

"It got me a scholarship."

Rossi nodded while Octavia stared at the rest of the paperwork on the clipboard where she had to ask Rossi some more questions.

"Was your father military or your husband?"

"Both. My father was a Navy Seal that is now an instructor. My late husband used to be a combat medic ranger in the Marines."

Hearing how Octavia informed her husband in past tense, Rossi bowed his head a little as he realized that her husband was dead.

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright. He had been gone for four years. I'm just glad that he got to see Annabelle before he was killed." Octavia replied to Rossi as she stared down at the clipboard before looking back up at him.

"I have to ask you a few more questions before you go."

"Go right ahead."

Octavia asked Rossi more questions that were a mix of mentality, emotionally and physically. Once all set, Octavia opened the exam room door and stepped out with Rossi behind her.

"Just head right back to the front to schedule your next future appointments."

"Thank you, Dr. Draco."

"You're welcome. Don't be shy to call if anything is wrong. Just take these papers to the front where they should be able to email your physical to your job." Octavia smirked as Rossi nodded his head before turning away from her to begin walking away, but he paused.

Octavia paused in her steps when she saw Rossi paused in his tracks.

"Question before I go." Rossi said.

"Yes?" Octavia stared at him with raised eyebrows.

Deep down, Octavia subconscious wanted Rossi to ask her about grabbing a coffee some time or something. But then there was the other part of her asking, was it a good idea to even think about a date again. Octavia did remember how her husband and her discussed about the future, of possibilities about him entering the war and 'what if' moments. Both agree to be happy and to live a happy life. After that discussion, they never discussed it again.

"What is your nationality? I have been trying to figure it out, but all I can think of was that you are Italian, but what else."

"My father is Italian. My mother is Native American and Scottish."

"What an interesting mix. Made you into a beautiful woman." Rossi told her with a smirk making Octavia to smirk back.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Rossi." Octavia said in a tone to show that she wasn't falling for his flirtatious comment.

Rossi kept smirking before he turned and walked away. He knew that Octavia was a woman that will not fall for his flirting comments. And for that, that only made him to be drawn to her even more than before.

Octavia stared after Rossi before she too walked away to begin her next examination.

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When it came around lunch time, Octavia sat across Missy, who was munching on a chicken salad sandwich. Octavia picked at her Caesar salad before she looked up at Missy.

"How has everything been going for you thus far?"

"Good. How have you been doing on your first day thus far?"

"Fine, fine. A few agents, but mostly new people."

"How was that agent this morning?" Missy wagged her eyebrows making Octavia to roll her eyes, but a small grin appeared on her lips.

"He was nice and smart." Octavia stated in a simple tone.

"And handsome and single."

"Missy."

"Oh come on. It's David Rossi."

"A man that is known for his heroic actions in the BAU back then, but known for his books and his three divorces." Octavia said, staring back down at her salad to continue on eating.

"Because of his job mostly getting in the way and those women most likely couldn't handle that." Missy pointed out making Octavia to just shake her head with a small grin.

Octavia finished up her lunch then left the staff room to resume on examining patients. She soon found herself packing up at the end of the day and walking out to her car. Entering, Octavia looked at her cellphone to see that it was about six o'clock. Setting her phone down in the passenger seat with her backpack, Octavia buckled up and started up her car.

It took about twenty minutes to get back to her new home. Octavia entered the house and smiled upon hearing small footfalls running towards her.

"Mommy!"

"My little Belle." Octavia kneeled down and hugged her five year old daughter to her.

"How were you today?"

"She was good."

"Thanks, Alex." Octavia stood up as she hugged her younger cousin to her before letting her go.

Alexander Whites was Octavia's younger cousin from her mom's side of the family. She lived in DC and was in doing online college courses to gain her education degree.

"Did you eat already?"

"Yep. We had chicken and rice. Alex is a good cook." Annabelle said as Octavia picked her up to carry her to the kitchen where Octavia will heat herself up the dinner.

Setting Annabelle down on one of the kitchen island stools, Octavia pulled the plate out from the oven and she put it in the microwave to heat up the chicken and rice.

Once done, Octavia sat at the kitchen island with Annabelle, who told Octavia how Alex and she colored and caught butterflies outside. Once Octavia finished up and washed off her dish and silverware, she carried Annabelle upstairs to start getting Annabelle ready for bed.

When Annabelle was all done with her bath, got into her pajamas and brushed her teeth, Octavia tucked her into bed around eight o'clock. Once tucked in bed, a soft goodnight and a kiss on the forehead, Octavia put on the nightlight before leaving Annabelle's bedroom. She kept the door slightly cracked open.

Walking to her bedroom, Octavia began her routine of showering, pajamas then brushing her teeth. She turned on the TV in her bedroom to a sports channel where a baseball game was going on. Laying down in her king size bed, Octavia flickered to another channel where her favorite baseball team, Boston Red Sox were playing and winning by a few runs so far.

Turning to her nightstand, Octavia saw it was close to eight thirty. She had to be in the doctor's office by eight tomorrow. She will be taking Annabelle to her work tomorrow until Alex will come to pick her up around ten. For now, Octavia continue to watch the baseball game until she slowly passed out into a deep sleep.

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 **Hi Everyone,**

 **I have decided to write a story on the** _ **Criminal Minds**_ **Series. I felt like writing a story for Rossi/OC, so please don't be hard on this story please.**

 **Disclaimer for this chapter and future chapters:** **I do not own anything about the** _ **Criminal Minds**_ **Series. I do, however, own my original characters, Octavia, Annabelle and Octavia's cousin. (those that have been mentioned thus far in the story).**

 **Thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter:** Stargazer Lilies and Blue Irises

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… **.. A Week Later: …..**

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Holding Annabelle's hand in her right hand, Octavia carried a basket in her left hand. Her pale sea foam green eyes scanned over the vegetables on the stand. Octavia eyes landed on the green peppers.

"Belle, would you please hand mommy one of the plastic baggies." Octavia said with a smile.

The five year old was holding a bundle of the plastic baggies that vegetables and fruit usually go in. Anabelle held one out to Octavia, who smiled then turned to the green peppers to pick a few out.

"Now, some rosemary and parsley." Octavia said as she put the green peppers into the basket.

"Making homemade sauce?"

A familiar voice said from behind causing Octavia to turn around to face the voice.

"Hello, Mr. Rossi."

"Please, Dave or Rossi. No formalities." The SSA FBI agent smiled.

"Then you may call me Octavia."

"And what shall I call you?" Rossi looked down at the five year old, who hid behind Octavia's legs.

"Annabelle." Annabelle said shyly with a matching shy, small grin.

"Annabelle. What a beautiful name for a princess."

"I'm not a princess." Annabelle stepped out from behind Octavia's legs, but she grabbed hold of Octavia's left hand.

Octavia watched the exchange between the FBI agent and the five year old with clear amusement. She knew that from Rossi biography that during his three failed marriages, there were no children. His job was a huge part of his life and not much free time. But his job was a hard one where he saw all sorts of horrific crime scenes. Octavia knew that Annabelle and even she must be a breath of fresh air of being normal and not a part of his work life.

"Oh really now? Then what are you?" Rossi asked Annabelle with raised eyebrows as he tried to fight off a smile.

"I'm an Empress."

"An Empress?" Rossi eyebrow rose as he turned to look at Octavia, who was biting her bottom lip.

"My grandfather is a classic professor where he moved from Italy to here. He will tell stories to this little one about Rome and the society. All that lovely historic stories that I listened to also when I was growing up." Octavia explained to Rossi as he nodded, now knowing what Annabelle meant.

"Your grandfather must've had a blast with your name."

"He insisted my father to name me after a Roman emperor's wife or some sort of unique Roman name. Trust me when I say that I got the history facts of my name." Octavia said with a dull tone.

"Are you the Major or Minor of Octavia?" Rossi smirked.

Octavia let out a breathless laugh before looking around to find where the rosemary and parsley were located.

"Minor." Octavia answered, looking back at him with a grin.

"Mommy, what's he asking?"

"Something grandpa would talk about in his lectures." Octavia told Annabelle.

"Oh, those." Annabelle made a face to show that she clearly knew about her grandfather's rants about ancient history.

That got Rossi to laugh with Octavia at Annabelle's comment.

"If you excuse us, we need to find the rosemary and parsley. I can't wait to get my garden going again." Octavia said softly.

"Here." Rossi held out a plastic baggie with fresh rosemary in it.

"No, those are yours."

"Just take it."

"But—"

"Here." Rossi held it out to Annabelle now making the five year old to look up at Octavia.

Octavia only nodded making Annabelle to grab the bag from Rossi.

"Thank you." Annabelle said, holding the bag close to her.

"You're welcome." Rossi grinned before looking up to stare Octavia.

"You saw that I was collecting certain herbs and good amount of tomatoes. You either knew I was looking for these certain herbs or heard me mentioned what I needed. Grabbing the herbs that I needed to confront me face to face to talk and know me more. Thanks for the herbs, Rossi." Octavia explained as she stared at smirking Rossi with narrowed eyes.

"Seems like I'm not the only one that has good observation skills."

"I'm a doctor, I have to be observant. See you later." Octavia said, walking away while holding Annabelle's hand.

"Why do you think I would do that?" Rossi asked before Octavia completely vanished from his view.

"Like I said, for you to talk to me."

"What about dinner? I'll cook." Rossi asked, not realizing what he had just asked until it was too late.

For the past week, all Rossi could think about was Octavia Draco. He even looked her up online to see who she was as an individual. This woman had caught his attention when she first stepped into the examination room. What Rossi felt towards Octavia foreign. An unknown feeling to him, which made him want to know more about her.

"I know who you are, Rossi. I know what you did and do. You have to do better and try again. Good day, Rossi." Octavia winked as she finally vanished from his view.

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… **.. Few Hours Later: …..**

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"Mommy."

"Yes, Belle?" Octavia replied.

Octavia was focusing on the homemade red sauce that she was making in a pot that she will soon pour on top of the stuffed shells.

"Who was that man earlier? He seemed nice."

Octavia glanced at Annabelle once again and stared at the five year old staring back at her. Even though Annabelle was five years old, the little girl was good when it came to who to trust and who not to trust. She was good at judging people for her age too.

"His name is David Rossi and he works for the FBI." Octavia answered.

"You mean like an officer?"

"Something like that, but has a bit more power. He would be higher up in the hierarchy."

"Oh. He seemed like a nice man mommy." Annabelle told her.

"What are you saying, Belle?" Octavia asked as she shut off the stove and set the wooden spoon aside on a plate to not get sauce on the marble countertop.

"Just he seems like he likes you."

A low chuckle escaped Octavia as she couldn't believe how her little one was so observant. Octavia looked at Annabelle, who was humming a random tune underneath her breath.

"He's an interesting individual, Belle. One that we will be seeing in the future."

"Why?" Annabelle asked as she stared at Octavia.

"Because he seems to be the type that never gives up."

Octavia pulled out stuff shells from the oven to set down on top of the oven. She poured the homemade red sauce over the stuff shells before sprinkling some cheese on top and then slid the pan back in the oven to cook some more. Turning away from the oven, Octavia moved to the refrigerator to grab the jug of iced tea.

Grabbing glasses, Octavia handed them to Annabelle, who took them to the dining room to set on the placemats where they always ate. Octavia brought the jug of iced tea to the table.

About twenty minutes, Annabelle and Octavia sat at the dining room table, enjoying the stuffed shells.

"How is it?" Octavia asked as she cut into another shell to stab a small piece of it while rubbing it in the red sauce.

"Mmmhmm." Annabelle hummed, nodding her head with a grin.

"Good." Octavia nodded.

Moments like these, Octavia enjoyed cooking, but enjoyed cooking dinner while having family time with Annabelle.

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… **.. Next Day: …..**

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Sitting in her office, Octavia was looking over a few files of her patients. As Octavia went to flip through another file about a patient complaining about rashes, her office phone began to ring.

Setting down the file, Octavia reached out to the office phone. The caller name ID was unknown, but the number was listed. Hitting the green button, she brought the phone up to her right ear.

"Hello, this is Dr. Octavia Draco."

" _Hello, Dr. Draco. This is SSA David Rossi."_

Octavia mouth dropped a little, but she then let out a small amused laugh. She couldn't believe he called here. But she wonder why.

"Hello, Agent Rossi. What can I do for you?" Octavia asked.

" _I got a question for you. I'm actually on a case right now and I needed a doctor's advice to see if we have this correct. So, I thought about you as our second confirmer."_

"Oh, how I feel honor. What do you wish to ask?" Octavia replied with a grin as Rossi chuckled on the line.

" _Can you explain more about what succinylcholine is? The coroner also found a needle mark in neck behind the ear area or the back of the neck. These were suicide victims too. Would this cause neuromuscular blockage?"_

"Succinylcholine or also known as Suxamethonium chloride usually causes the body to go into a numbing state. It causes the muscles to temporarily become so relax to the point of being paralyzed making the user enable to move. There's also other drugs like Rocuronium bromide which is also injection and Vecuronium bromide. There's all sorts of drugs that work as anesthesia agents." Octavia explained to him.

Hearing Rossi mumbled in the speaker, her head tilted to the side as she tried to listen to what he mumbled to himself.

"What was that?" Octavia asked him.

" _Just about how these victims were connected to their children that were killed in a building fire. Now these parents are being found committing suicide, but something is off, especially with this drug within their systems. Then again, injecting within the system before they were placed in their position would cause them to be in the killer's hands to do whatever."_

"Most likely yes. Enough within their system would cause them to be unable to do their own actions. They would be like puppets in the hands of whoever is doing this to them. Most of these neurotics causes skeletal muscles relaxation. Some have the properties that would be use in the pregnancy room." Octavia said, picking up a pen to twirl between her fingertips.

" _Yes..."_

Hearing Rossi pause making Octavia to speak out to see why he paused.

"What else would you like to say, Rossi?"

" _Well, since you helped me, let me treat you to dinner when I come back from this case."_

Octavia knew that Rossi would ask her that. She rolled her eyes, but an amused grin appeared on her lips as she knew that Rossi will not give up until she says 'yes' to him.

"Try again another time. See you later, Rossi." Octavia said making him to sigh, but let out a low chuckle.

" _Yes, I will see you later, Octavia. Good day and thank you for your insight."_

"Welcome, bye, bye for now." Octavia said then hung up the office phone while shaking her head.

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"Who was that?"

Rossi flipped his cell phone shut, but looked up at SSA Derek Morgan, one of the BAU profilers, who stood in front of Rossi with his powerful arms crossed over his chest and eyeing Rossi with raised eyebrows.

"A friend."

"Really? A friend that you asked out for dinner upon helping you with medical information." Derek eyed Rossi with narrowed eyes as he knew something was up since Rossi had been grinning a lot as he talked on the phone with that particular friend.

"Yes."

"Uh-huh." Morgan nodded, not believing Rossi about this just being a 'friend.'

"Let's get back to focusing on this case." Rossi said.

All the while, Rossi thought of ways to get Octavia to accept something from him. Just the thought of Octavia accepting something from him, an idea did come into Rossi mind that made him to grin as he knew that Octavia will have to accept it.

With a smirk, Rossi slid on his sunglasses and walked out of a house to walk back to the SUV.

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… **.. Next Day: …..**

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A knock on the office door made Octavia to look up while softly saying a 'come in.'

Octavia eyes glanced up from her laptop screen as the door open up. Her eyebrows rose when Missy came in with a wide smile and stepped aside.

It was a delivery man with a large bouquet of flowers. A mixture of Stargazer lilies and blue iris within a clear square glass vase. The man set the flowers on top of her desk and held out a clipboard. Octavia signed it and the delivery man left.

Plucking a small lavender color envelope from the bouquet, Octavia slipped the small card out that had a few written words in cursive.

' _ **Glorious flowers for a charming lady.'**_

A small grin appeared on Octavia's lips. She set the small card aside while gazing back at the beautiful flowers. She reached up to run her right fingertips across the petals.

Not alone, Octavia looked up to see Missy standing in the doorway with raised eyebrows.

"What?"

"Who's the admirer?"

"Just a very determine man."

"A certain FBI agent that is also known to be a popular author?"

Octavia stayed quiet in her seat. Missy gave a small nod as she knew that she was right. The older medical assistant left the office after that.

"You are determine, Rossi, I will give you that. Beautiful flowers too." Octavia whispered while continue to stare at the large bouquet of flowers.

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… **.. Few Days Later: …..**

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When the BAU team finished the case, they arrived back in the early morning.

Rossi walked up the small set of stairs that led up to a small balcony that held Hotchner and his office.

Pulling out a set of keys from his go-bag, Rossi unlocked his office and stepped in. He went to his desk where he sat down to shut his eyes for a moment.

Tired, Rossi knew he needed to get into his bed. Rossi stood up from his seat, grabbed his go-bag, and he went to leave the office when someone stepped in.

"Agent Rossi?" A young man asked.

"Yes?" Rossi answered, staring at the young man curiously.

"You got a delivery from a Dr. Octavia Draco." The young man held out a small box making Rossi to accept the box from him.

Once the box was out of the young man's hands, he left Rossi in his office. Rossi set his go-bag down as he walked back over to his desk. Rossi used one of keys to slice through the tape to open up the small box. Pushing the tissue paper away, Rossi reached into the box to pull out a sterling silver figurine of an angel with hands held out in a helping gesture.

Finding a small note with a small pin of angel wings on them, Rossi unclipped the small sterling silver angel wing pin from the note before he read it.

' _ **To a man that walks amongst the shadows to protect others.'**_

A small grin appeared onto Rossi lips as he caressed the small winged pin before sliding it into his jacket pocket. He picked up the angel figurine and set the figurine on his desk next to his lamp, so that whenever he turned on the light, it shined down on the sterling silver angel figurine.

Throwing the box into the trash next to his door, Rossi picked his go-bag back up again and this time, walked out of his office. Locked behind him, he tucked his left hand in his suit coat pocket where he caressed the angel wings as he walked out of the area to the elevator.

Entering the elevator, Rossi hit the main floor button where he was left alone in the elevator to think.

To think that Octavia got the flowers, she sent a gift back. The thought made Rossi to grin as he thought how Octavia wasn't ignoring him. Instead, Octavia accepted his gifts and sent her own gift to show that she was interested in some way. Rossi won't give up as he wasn't the type to give up on anything.

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 **Hi Everyone,**

 **Here's another chapter.**

 **I had to do some medical research so sorry if I got anything wrong or whatnot.**

 **I wish and hope you enjoy this chapter and this story.**

 **Thank You!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter:** Confronting

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… **.. A Week Later: …..**

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For the past week, since the first bouquet of flowers, more kept coming in every day. Missy found it amusing and charming that Octavia was receiving them. Octavia was running out of room for the bouquet of flowers; thus, bringing them home where Annabelle would make compliments about them being beautiful flowers.

Octavia had sent those angel trinkets before and once she realize that Rossi kept sending her flowers, she sent back a bottle of wine that cost a good amount and then another day she sent him a new pair of expensive sunglasses—since she saw a pair on his person when he had his physical.

At the moment, Octavia was walking down the hallway with a clipboard in hand. She knocked on an examination room where she heard her patient say a 'come in.'

Entering Octavia eyes land upon an African-American man about in his thirties, who was handsome and well built in structure. Her eyes flicker down to the clipboard to see that her patient works for the federal.

"Good morning, Mr. Derek Morgan, how are you today?"

"I'm doing well, Dr. Draco. You can call me Derek or Morgan. The formalities is not my thing. How are you today, doc?" Derek gave her a perfect white teeth smile making her to grin back and look back down at the clipboard to see he was in for a physical today.

However, what caught her eyes was that he switched doctors to her. She saw that the doctor he switched from was a doctor that she knew and she knows that nothing was wrong with that doctor. Therefore, the sudden change of doctors has her very curious.

"I'm doing fine. You're here for a physical?"

"Yes. I'm due for one." Derek smiled as he watches her take her stethoscope off from around her neck and walked up to him.

Her heels clicking across the floor as she came up to him and pause on his side. She begin to listen to his breathing as he takes strong inhales then exhales, knowing the routine.

"Tell me, Derek, what do you do for the federal?" Octavia asked as she continue moving the stethoscope around his back before moving to his front to listen to his heartbeats.

"I work for the FBI in the Behavioral Analysis Unit."

"So the BAU?" Octavia said while pulling the stethoscope away and placing it back around her neck to hang there.

Next, she begin to check inside his ears and his mouth before looking him straight in the eyes. Stepping back, Octavia looked down at the clipboard resting on the counter and she checked off that his breathing, heartbeats, ears and mouth were fine.

"Please lay back." Octavia told him before he could answer her question.

As Derek laid back on the exam table, Octavia stepped up to him and begin to put pressure on his abdomen. She could feel his muscles flexing underneath her hand and he was trying not to move as she put pressure onto his stomach region.

"Yes, I do." Derek finally answered her.

"Do you have any discomfort at all, Derek?"

"Nothing, doc."

"Do you work in a team in this BAU department?"

"Yes. We are a seven man team including me."

"Sounds like an interesting department. Are you the head?"

"No, our chief unit Aaron Hotchner is."

"I felt like I heard of that name before." Octavia said as she turned away from him and move back to the clipboard to check off that nothing felt abnormal.

She turned back to him, watching as Derek sat back up and rubbed his stomach to get the phantom feeling of her hands pressing down upon his stomach region. Octavia knew the feeling as she hated when her own doctor would check. Not only was it uncomfortable, but she was very ticklish around her whole abdomen region.

"You probably heard about him on the news or something."

"Yes, I probably have." Octavia slowly said before motioning him to stand up.

He does so and Octavia makes him to bend forwards so she can check that his spine was perfectly align before making him stand tall again. Derek sat himself back down on the exam table with his hands clasped together between his knees.

"You know I got a question for you before I ask you a serious of questions that are the usual questions that doctors will ask their patients."

"Yes, what is it?" Derek asked.

"Do you always switch doctors when you become interested in one of your colleagues personal life?" Octavia shot at him with a serious expression.

When Derek open his mouth then shuts it and got this slight shock emotion in his eyes, Octavia knew that she got him. She can now see the 'oh shit' look in his eyes as he stares at her with his mouth slightly agape.

"You also work with a SSA David Rossi?"

All Derek can do was nod as he couldn't believe that she caught him, but then again as he consciously rewinds to her questions, he realized that he fell right into her trap. Now, Derek knew that Octavia was a very observant woman even for a doctor.

"You're observant." Derek pointed out.

"Yes, I am, especially when I see how you switched doctors for no reason. Unless there is one?"

"No."

"You switched to find out more about me and why Rossi has a sudden interest in me. The question is, how did you know it was me that he was interested in?" Octavia questioned, her green eyes seem to darken as she stared him down with a glare.

"Um, well you see—"

"Answer the question agent." Octavia firmly said as she wanted to know the truth now.

"Technical analysis got your office number."

"Well, that isn't scary or anything." Octavia dryly said, crossing her arms over her chest and she was still staring him down even as he gives her a somewhat sheepish smile.

"I apologize. We were curious on who Rossi was sending flowers to and why he has been happier than usual lately."

"He's happier than usual? Because of me?" Octavia lowly said, looking away and not seeing Derek's eyebrows raise.

Seeing her reaction upon his comment, Derek can see that Octavia was having a moment of Rossi actually happy because of her. Derek believed that Octavia felt something, but doesn't want it to express it too much.

"You have been playing the hard-to-get role against him, haven't you? I believe that he has never faced a woman like that before. I can see why he is so interested in you." Derek said, seeing if this comment will bring more answers out of her.

"I know his history."

"It's called history for a reason. He's a good guy, just he works a lot with the BAU. Solving cases keeps him going."

"And that is probably what destroyed his marriages, right?" Octavia pointed out making Derek to nod his head.

"Why do I feel like you are trying to set us up?" Octavia stared at him with raised eyebrows.

"He deserves it, but so do you." Derek softly said.

"Me? How do you know that I am not happy as I am right now?" Octavia questioned, finding that this whole examination has turn into one big conversation that she felt like she was talking to a psychiatrist right now.

"Because you respond back to his gifts. I don't think that you are the type of woman that is cold-hearted and just send him gifts back to lead him on. No, I believe you are the type of woman that likes to bring happiness to people so that you can feel happiness also. If you were cold-hearted, I don't think that you would've worked as a family primary doctor. You care for others more than yourself. You help lives like he does. You two have jobs where you are always busy. You two are more similar yet different than you know." Derek explained, moving his hands about in motion as he gets deep into his explanation.

The whole time, Octavia never took her eyes off of Derek and she took in all his words. She knew that he was right, but was hesitate on taking on any sort of relationship that most likely would turn romantic. She was scared of losing another person close to her.

"You're right." Octavia admitted with a slight shrug of her shoulders and a small nod of her head.

"Than what is it?"

"I'm just hard to get. Now, let's answer this questions so I can send you on your way and I can move to my next patient." Octavia said, changing the subject and picking up the clipboard to begin questioning him.

Once Derek left, Octavia knew that Derek was very much curious about her. The way he looked at her when he left, it was a look that said 'I will figure you out some more' type of way. Now, she was debating whether or not to continue accepting Rossi gifts or to tell him that one of his colleagues had come in to learn more about her.

Octavia walked over to the next examination room, but paused before she entered. She has come to a thought of seeing if Rossi will confront her about Derek. If not, then she'll know that Derek was doing this secretly with his other colleagues without Rossi knowing.

Knocking on the examination door then entering, Octavia put on a smile for her next patient.

… **..**

… **.. BAU Department: …..**

… **..**

There was no cases today; thus, paperwork was the next big thing.

Rossi was sitting at his desk going through files when he heard a soft knock on his door. Looking up he saw that the BAU technical analysis, Penelope Garcia was standing there. Seeing her giving him that 'oops' and guilty look made him to know that she did something behind his back. She had a file in her hands, most likely for him as he requested her to print out information about a solved case from a few months ago.

"Come in, Garcia." Rossi set the files down and clasped his hands together on top of his desk.

Slowly stepping in, Garcia stood before his desk and slightly avoid his eye contact more than usual. He definitely knew that she did something that he would most likely become upset about. She set the files down near his clasped hands, glancing up at him before looking down, but every so many seconds her eyes would flicker up to look at him.

"What did you do that relates to me?"

"Sometimes I hate that you guys are profilers." Garcia mumbled.

He stayed quiet for a few seconds to see if she would blurt out what she has done, but she doesn't do so. Instead, she stayed quiet and adjusted her glasses.

"Garcia." Rossi strongly stated.

"I might've looked through your phone calls and the florist to see where you were sending the flowers." Garcia blurted out then took in a deep inhale through her nose and going wide eyes when she saw the flicker of annoyance and anger go through Rossi's brown eyes.

"You what!?" Rossi stood up, his seat rolling back against the shelves and counter behind him where his computer rested.

"I'm sorry sir." Garcia immediately said.

"Why would you do something like that? This is my personal life. Privacy, Garcia." Rossi firmly said, staring her down as she somewhat fidget in her spot under his stare.

"We wanted to know."

"We?"

"Morgan, Emily and I." Garcia admitted as she usually starts to blurt out the truths when she was under fire with her higher ups like Hotch or Rossi.

Rossi stared her down some more before he turned his attention to look out the windows that his office has. The windows looking out to the rest of the BAU team where he can see Emily and Reid at their desk working. But he watched as Morgan was just strolling in and taking off his jacket.

"Where did Morgan just go?"

"Sir?"

"Where, Garcia?" Rossi snapped his head back towards her making her to swallow hard as she was still wide eyes.

"For a physical, sir."

"With who?"

"Dr. Draco, sir."

Shutting his eyes, Rossi only waved for her to get out making her to immediately leave his office, but not without saying a soft 'sorry.' He only nodded while sitting himself back down in his seat and running his right hand through his hair. Reopening his eyes, he looked at his office phone, debating whether or not to call Octavia to apologize for one of the agents for going to her because Rossi knows Morgan will question her about her involvement with him.

Overall, at this moment, he felt as if he couldn't have privacy with his personal life. He wanted to actually take things slow with Octavia and not mess up. For she was different than any women he has persuade. She was a woman that peaks his interest more and more every time they somehow contact each other, even if it wasn't face to face. They were similar in many ways, yet greatly different. But the number one subject in their mind was helping people and saving them. That is their number one role. He can admit that he was attracted to her appearance, but her personality was even greater in attraction.

Strong, independent, heart of gold, sense of humor, teasing, caring and the list of positive traits can go on about her.

She was simply a woman that was a rare find and whoever she accepted was a lucky individual to be in the grace of her presence.

Unconsciously, he had been tapping his fingers on his office phone on whether or not to call Octavia. He slides his hand off of the phone before looking back down at the files. Standing up from his seat, Rossi grabbed his keys and shut the file, leaving it for later. Walking out of his office, locking it behind him, he walked down to the level where Reid, Emily and Morgan were.

"Where are you heading out?" Emily asked as she noticed how Rossi was staring down Morgan as he walked through the aisle of where their desks are near one another.

"Oh, just going to somehow confront a good doctor." Rossi firmly stated making Emily to suck in her bottom lip and look back down at the files she has been working on.

To the side, Reid was watching the scene with complete confusion as he didn't know what Morgan, Emily and Garcia had been up to. While Morgan looked up at Rossi with an innocent look to which Rossi was not falling for it.

"Tell Hotch I will be out for a bit." Rossi told Morgan before leaving them behind.

"Shit, he knows." Morgan blurted out once Rossi disappeared through the glass doors to head towards the elevator.

"Knows what?" Reid looked in between Morgan and Emily as the two were looking at one another with guilty expression.

"Nothing, kid. Just curiosity killed the cat. That's all." Morgan said, glancing at Reid while running his hands over his bald head and then clasping his hands together to hold the back of his head.

… **..**

… **..**

… **..**

Octavia was carrying Annabelle as they exited out of a restaurant. She begin walking towards her Audi A4 and put Annabelle in the back, buckling her in the child's seat. Shutting the back door, Octavia gets into the driver's seat and buckles up.

Driving home, pulling into the driveway, Octavia saw something on her front porch. Shutting off the car, Octavia gets out and gets a sleeping Annabelle from the back. Holding her close after locking and alarming her car, Octavia carried Annabelle as she walked towards her house.

Seeing a bouquet of flowers, Octavia unlocks the house first and goes inside to set a sleeping Annabelle on the couch in the living room before going back out to the front porch. Picking up vase, she entered the house and shuts the front door behind her, locking it up.

Pulling a small envelope from the bouquet, she sets the vase on the side table near the front door and pulled out the small card from the envelope. Only a few words were written.

' _ **Sorry for my colleague's actions.'**_

A small grin comes onto her lips as she sets the card aside then she walked into the living room to pick the sleeping four year old up and carry her upstairs to get her ready for bed.

Once Annabelle was in bed and Octavia got ready for bed too. As she laid down for the night, Octavia stared at the TV which was on the news channel. However, her mind wasn't focus on the news, but rather thinking about how Rossi figure out what Morgan had done. Then told her about it.

Adjusting the blankets around her, Octavia turned onto her left side to stare at the empty spot on the left side of the bed. She stared at the spot before slowly shutting her eyes as she thought all about today. About Morgan confronting her to meet and talk to her because of Rossi then she thought of Rossi sending another bouquet of flowers to show his apologies for something his colleagues have done.

All of this Octavia begins to think that there was something forming amongst of all this, especially when others are noticing and how Rossi will go out of his way to fix actions of others. There was something special forming and for that, Octavia will just have to wait and see what happens.

… **..**

… **..**

… **..**

… **..**

… **..**

 **Hi everyone,**

 **Here's another chapter!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter:** Accepted

… **..**

… **.. Few Days Later: …..**

… **..**

"Seems like a bug is going around."

"Tell me about it." Octavia mumbled as she stared at Missy, who sets a file down on the counter for the secretaries to put away.

For the past few days, a good amount of people have been coming in with upset stomach. Octavia has been bringing extra clothes to work as she didn't need to bring whatever this bug was home to Annabelle. She doesn't need her little one with this.

Since this bug has been going around, Octavia has been making sure that Annabelle is taking her children vitamins, giving her extra fruit for her snacks, and drinking orange juice. Whenever there was some sort of illness going around, Octavia becomes very paranoid health freak.

"I need this place sanitized over and over again after today." Octavia said making Missy to nod while picking up another file for a patient that just came in.

Seeing a smirk come onto Missy lips, Octavia crossed her arms over her chest and she raised her eyebrows at the older woman.

"Who is it?"

"Agent Rossi." Missy said before turning way and heading towards the door that leads out to the waiting room.

Octavia shakes her head before walking to the staff room to get herself a bottle of water. She was giving Missy time to do the usual checkup questions before Octavia herself would go in. When Missy appeared, she handed Octavia the clipboard that holds information about Rossi and information on why he was in today. Octavia made her way to the exam room that he resided in.

Upon entering, Rossi was sitting on the exam table while rubbing his throat and making an uncomfortable look. Slowly shutting the door behind her, Octavia stared down at the clipboard to see that Rossi was complaining about a sore throat with a high pain level.

"You have been complaining about sore throat?"

"Yeah." Rossi lowly whispered out with a nod.

"I have to take a swab of the back of your throat. It will be uncomfortable, but it's to make sure that it is nothing to serious. That it is strep throat and not something else." Octavia told him making Rossi to nod his head in an understood manner.

"How have you been?" Rossi asked her.

"Good. And you, other than the sore throat?" Octavia asked him as she open a draw to pull out the plastic tub that contained a swab to check him with.

"Busy with cases. But everything has been going."

Octavia nodded while pulling on rubber gloves then stepping towards him with the container. She pulled out the swab and nodded for him to open up his mouth. Swabbing the back of his throat quickly, she pulled back while he coughed and cleared his throat at the dry feeling.

"Sorry."

"You had to do what you had to do." Rossi said watching as she moved towards the door with the swab inside the container now.

"I'm going to go look this over. I'll be right back."

She left the exam room leaving Rossi to look around the exam room at the posters hanging around. His eyes flickering to the counter top where containers filled with Band-Aids, cotton balls, and other medical supplies was located.

When she came back, she had a new piece of paper.

"Strep?"

"Yep. I can give you prescription for antibiotics or you can just get over the counter medicine, such as Tylenol or ibuprofen." Octavia told him as she sets the paper down on the counter and turned to face him with her arms crossed over her chest.

"What about just doing home remedies?"

"Drink a lot of water, cough drops, tea or cold things, like ice cream can help soothe the feeling." Octavia explained to him.

"Rossi, I assume you had strep throat before. Why come here?"

"Do you want me to be honest?"

"Yes. That would be for the best." Octavia answered, her head tilted to the side just a bit to cause her long ponytail to sway over onto her right shoulder.

"I wanted to see you after what Morgan did and wanted to see you in person again." Rossi admitted, staring at her and how she stood up straighter, out of her position of leaning against the counter.

"I see. You don't have to worry about what Morgan has done. It perfectly alright. With him doing that, I can tell that Morgan and the rest of the team that you work with are looking out for you like family. They deeply care for you. It's understanding." Octavia told him with a gentle smile.

"I'm glad that you aren't angry with them or me."

"Why would I be mad at you? You didn't tell him to come here. I'm not mad at you, Rossi." Octavia assured him, the gentle grin still upon her lips.

"If you're not mad at me, do you mind having dinner with me?" Rossi asked, wondering if she would finally accept his invitation.

Picking up the clipboard, she holds it close to her chest and she smiled at Rossi before turning her back to him to leave the exam room. Opening the door, she looked back at him as he pushed himself off the exam table.

"Good day, Rossi." Octavia softly said as she walked away.

A sigh escaped Rossi while he left the room and headed towards the door to leave the hallways and into the waiting room. But before he could go, one of the receptionist appeared before him.

"Mr. Rossi?"

"Yes." He turned towards the young woman with a blank expression.

"This if for you. Good day, sir." The receptionist handed him a fold up slip of paper before walking away.

Leaving the building, Rossi opened the folded slip of paper when he gets inside his vehicle. Unfolding then tugging it with both hands to flatten it out a bit, Rossi read a few words that were in gentle cursive.

' _ **Send me your email and I will send you my address. Dinner at my place. I'll cook.'**_

Staring at the note, Rossi couldn't believe his eyes. He just couldn't believe that Octavia has finally agreed to his invitation. Folding the paper back up, he slipped it into his pocket and reached forwards to start up his vehicle. Buckling up, Rossi stared out of the windshield still trying to grasp the fact that she accepted. It makes him to wonder what changed her mind. Either she changed her mind because of Morgan confronting her and saying something that made her rethink or maybe she was tire of him asking her over and over again to come for her to come to a realization.

But overall, she had accepted; thus, he was going to head back to his office and send Octavia a message so that she received his email. A small grin appeared on his lips.

… **..**

… **.. Few Hours Later: …..**

… **..**

At home, Octavia was looking through her emails as she sees another message from Rossi. Earlier today, when Octavia went onto a lunch break, she saw that Rossi sent her an email for her to receive his own email. She had sent him her address and a suggested time for a night where he wasn't sick anymore.

Now, as she went through her emails, she found one from Rossi. Opening it, she sees that he accepted a time around six. Octavia logged off before setting the laptop aside on her nightstand. Turning her attention to stare at Annabelle laying across the bed and watching a show showing the life of the ocean.

"What's your favorite ocean animal thus far, Belle?"

"The dolphin! They seem so smart and fun." Annabelle answered, turning her head to stare at Octavia.

Seeing that Octavia wasn't on the laptop anymore, Annabelle crawled up to lay beside Octavia's left side. Octavia held her close as they continue to watch the show together.

… **..**

… **.. Next Day: …..**

… **..**

Her phone buzzed in her pocket making her to pull it out and flip it open to see it was a new message from Rossi. Hitting the button to open the message, she read the few words that Rossi sent her.

' _ **Got a case.'**_

Pausing in her walking stance, Octavia takes the time to text him back so he doesn't think that she was mad at him for leaving because they supposed to find a day for a night dinner. Sending a message back, Octavia looked up to continue walking down the building hallway to head to her office as there wasn't many patients for today.

' _It's seven in the morning. Be safe.'_

Feeling the vibration once again, she flipped the cellphone back open to see Rossi has immediately replied.

' _ **How about when I get back? I will most likely not be sick anymore and I would most likely have a day off when I get back.'**_

' _Sounds good. Just be safe and tell your team to be safe too.'_

' _ **Will do.'**_

Octavia grinned while entering her office and walking towards her desk. Grabbing the files off her desk, she walked over to the cabinets built in the wall and begin to slip the files in the right alphabetical order.

… **..**

… **.. Couple Days Later: …..**

… **..**

The case had to do with a UNSUB boy teenager that has been shooting others around his age while he held a girl around his age captive. However, they believe that the girl doesn't know that the boy that she was with has been killing those that have bullied him and her.

Rossi flipped open his cellphone where he was about to text Octavia to tell her that the case was going to be drawing to a close, but stopped upon seeing JJ and Emily heading his way. Slipping his cellphone back into his pocket, Rossi looked up with a calm expression when the others entered the room.

The messages from her two days ago about them being safe, he had actually told his team for them to be safe, a message from Octavia. That made the team to look at Rossi with mixtures of emotions.

Emotions of surprise, some happiness, but mostly curiosity on learning more about Octavia.

When Reid asked more about this Octavia, Rossi just told him that was all he needed to know. That caused Morgan and Emily to look at him with raised eyebrows, but small smirks on their lips. While Hotchner gave him the look that said 'we'll talk later.'

For now, Rossi watched as JJ and Emily stepped towards him to tell him new information about their UNSUB.

… **..**

… **.. Next Day: …..**

… **..**

Walking around the grocery store, Octavia had Annabelle sitting in the shopping cart since the little one just woken up from a nap. Octavia grabbed a few pasta boxes and place them in her cart.

For about three almost four days, Rossi has been on the case, but had texted her late this evening that they were on the flight returning back. Therefore, Octavia has gone out grocery shopping to get ingredients to make lasagna. She would make her homemade sauce to go along with it.

Moving through the aisles, she went and grabbed vegetables to make a salad for the side. Another aisle to grab bread and the aisle of herbs once again to grab some for making garlic herb bread.

"Are you functioning yet, Belle?" Octavia amusedly asked the five year old.

"Yes. Can I have chocolate covered raisins please?" Belle pointed to the box that was on the self near the registers.

"Of course." Octavia gently smiled as she reached forwards to grab the chocolate covered raisins and handed them to Annabelle to hold while they stood in line.

Once through the line, paying and bagging the groceries, Octavia walked out to her car. She unpacked everything, before bringing the cart to where the rest of the carts go. She picked up Annabelle from the seat and together they walk back towards Octavia's car. Getting her buckle in, Octavia got into the driver's seat and that is when her cellphone went off signaling a new message.

Seeing it was Rossi, she sat back in her driver's seat and took the time to text Rossi now since she will be driving soon.

' _ **We have just landed.'**_

' _How about tomorrow night so you can rest today?'_

' _ **Sound good. Still 6?"**_

' _Yes.'_

' _ **Do you wish for me to bring anything?'**_

' _I got everything.'_

' _ **Alright, see you then.'**_

' _See you.'_

Octavia shut her phone and set it into one of the cup holders before starting up her car. She glanced in the rearview mirror to back up, but she glanced at Annabelle in her kid's car seat to recheck over her buckles.

"Annabelle, we are having a visitor tomorrow night for dinner." Octavia told the five year old as she backed out of the parking lot then begin driving.

"Who?" Annabelle asked with excitement upon the news.

"Do you remember that agent that we met in the grocery store?"

"The one that called me princess?"

"Yes."

"Oh! I like him."

A chuckle escaped from Octavia at how excited Annabelle got when she heard about Rossi. She knew that Annabelle kept bringing it up about meeting him again or when they will see him again.

"Well that's good. Mr. David Rossi will be over at six. Mommy is going to make her lasagna."

"Yes." Annabelle threw her arms in the air making Octavia to grin.

"So, get ready for tomorrow, Belle." Octavia said with a smile as she continue to drive along the road into the direction of their home.

For tomorrow night will be an interesting one.

… **..**

… **..**

… **..**

… **..**

… **..**

 **Hi Everyone,**

 **Here's another chapter.**

 **Thanks!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter:** First Dinner

… **..**

… **.. Next Day: …..**

… **..**

Prepping the food early in the morning, she went to work for a few appointments before she let the new physician to take the rest of the few appointments left. She had hired a physician that is finishing up their residency and needed a job. Octavia took this physician in, Dr. Marcus McCook, so she wasn't overrun with all sorts of appointments. Now, with two doctors, they both can have flexible scheduling and not stress over too much.

Now, Octavia was back home after picking up Annabelle from Alex's apartment. Taking the already prepared homemade sauce and begin to make the three layers of lasagna. Layering with the homemade sauce that has a mixture of grounded beef in it. Then adding the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese.

Once that was call cook, Octavia would sprinkle some more parmesan cheese on top with parsley on top. Octavia moved to the fridge once again to make a bowl of salad on the side.

Turning around, Octavia smiled upon seeing Annabelle coming into the kitchen.

"Belle do you mind grabbing the wooden bowl that is in the cabinet underneath the kitchen island." Octavia asked as she set the vegetables and lettuce down near the cutting board she had out earlier.

Annabelle grabbed the wooden bowl and walked over, holding it up for Octavia to grab. Grabbing the bowl, Octavia set it on the counter while she begin slicing up the romaine lettuce. Annabelle pulled a stool over to stand up on to watch Octavia prepare the salad.

"Herbal garlic bread too?" Annabelle asked.

"Yes. I will be making that after I finish this." Octavia answered while Annabelle nodded her head causing her long brown wavy hair to bounce.

Once the salad was done, she put that back into the fridge before she moved onto making the bread. Annabelle got her another mixing bowl where Octavia would start to add herbs to the olive oil and then handed Annabelle the bowl with a whisk.

"Just mix it up really well so all of the herbs are mixed together. Make sure you don't spill it over the edge of the bowl." Octavia explained while she grabbed the fresh bread and cut the long bread stick down the middle into half.

Grabbing a brush and then turning towards Annabelle to see that she finished up with whisking. She showed Annabelle how to brush the herbs over the bread before walking over to the oven to check how the lasagna was cooking before turning to face Annabelle.

Helping her down from the stool, Octavia took the bread and rest them on sheets before placing them on top of the oven to bake once the lasagna was close to done. For now, she begin to clean up the kitchen while instructing Annabelle to set up the dining room.

"Anything else I can do, mommy?" Annabelle skipped back into the kitchen.

"No, mommy is all set. Thank you for your help." Octavia said, running her right hand through Annabelle's hair before leading her to the living room.

It was around five-fifteen and she has a feeling that Rossi will be showing up soon. He has that way about him where he would appear early for something that he was intrigued in.

Watching a baseball game, the doorbell ranged around five-forty making Octavia to smirk as she knew that she was right about him arriving early. Standing up from the couch, Octavia moved towards the front door, but before she unlocked and open the door, she smoothen down her light blue blouse shirt before stepping up to the door.

Opening it up, Octavia has as warm welcome smile upon her face, especially when Rossi held out a small bouquet of tiger lilies.

"Good evening."

"Evening. Tiger lilies, my favorite." Octavia softly said as she accepted the flowers from him and stepped aside to allow him into the house.

She shut and locked the front door before turning to see Rossi kneeling down to hand Annabelle a single yellow rose. Octavia held the bouquet close with a smile upon seeing Annabelle happy.

"Dinner should be done soon. Can I get you anything to drink?" Octavia asked as she led Rossi down the hallway and into the kitchen where she put the bouquet of flowers into a small glass vase.

Taking Annabelle's single flower, she put it into a glass vase where a single flower would go in. Putting it into the vase, Octavia handed Annabelle the vase back for the five year old to run upstairs to put it into her bedroom.

"She seems like a bundle of joy."

"And energy. She is my sunshine." Octavia told Rossi as she turned back around to face him standing near her kitchen island.

"Water, ice tea, red wine…" She lowly said the last part making Rossi to stare at her closely as she walked up to the fridge.

"You don't drink, do you?" Rossi said as he rested his hands on top of the kitchen marble island top.

"No. I just brought it. I usually keep a bottle in the house whenever guest was to come over."

"You are definitely a woman that pleases others."

"I like to bring comfort and make sure others feel welcome." Octavia told him making him to nod as he perfectly understood where she was coming from.

"I'll have a glass of water and maybe the red wine during dinner. Which I must say, smells very delicious. Homemade?"

"Mostly, except the pasta part." Octavia told him as she poured him a glass of water before handing it over to him. She poured herself a cup too and she placed herself parallel from him with the kitchen island between them.

"So, why accept my invitation now?" Rossi asked, wanting to know why as it has been bugging him for days now.

Looking down at her glass of water, she ran the tip of her right index finger around the edges of the glass while holding the glass itself in her left hand. Her eyes stared at the water slightly moving due to small movement. Glancing away from the glass, Octavia stared right at Rossi, who was patiently waiting for her to give him a truthful answer to his question.

"I guess you can say that Agent Morgan was the final push." Octavia told him, dropping her hands from her glass to tap her fingers across the marble top.

"He didn't pressure you, did he?"

"No. Just made me to clear up my mind to come to realization. We are very much the same yet different. I'm not a woman that would immediately accept an invitation." Octavia told him.

"How many dates have you gone on since your husband passing?"

Octavia bit her tongue while her eyes flicker down to the glass of water again. She knew that she was dealing with a top profiler right now, Therefore, Octavia knows that Rossi was slowly trying to figure out why she accepted this dinner night. And for that she can understand as she would be question someone too on why the sudden change.

"One of my cousin tried to set me up two years after my late husband and I couldn't do it. I called the guy and apologize, telling him the reason why and he understood. After that, it was just Annabelle and me. We moved from Boston to here upon a job offer." Octavia explained to him.

"The sudden change now, why?"

"Why do I feel as if you are profiling me?"

"I'm just curious on why. I don't want you to feel as if you have to do this."

"No, no, I told you that I am fine with this. Like I said, Morgan words gave me a push and cleared the fog away." Octavia assured him before lifting the glass of water to her lips and taking a long sip.

Rossi only nodded, but he knew that there was more to why she had denied for so long. He knew that her husband death affected her in a way that she was scared to get close to another person again. Not because she felt that she was betraying him, but because of getting close again and them leaving again.

"Do you catch bad guys?"

The two adults turn to see Annabelle standing in the doorway that led out to the hallway. Annabelle smiled at them before running forwards and climbing up the stool to sit at the kitchen island.

"Yes. My team and I catch bad guys to save others." Rossi gently told her, glancing at Octavia for a second before looking back at Annabelle.

Octavia turn away to open the oven to see the lasagna browning. She takes the bread covered with herbal garlic sauce then slides it into the top rack in the oven. Shutting the door, she turned back around to face Rossi and Annabelle again.

"Mommy helps people too." Annabelle pointed out.

"I heard. A doctor. A good one." Rossi said, looking away from Annabelle to stare at Octavia.

"Don't sugar coat." Octavia pointed at him making him to raise his hands in the air in a harmless manner with a charming smirk.

When the kitchen timer went off, Octavia put on hot mitts and pulled out the glass pan containing the lasagna. She set it on top of the oven and she pulled out the bread too as the edges were browning. Shutting off the oven and pulling off the mitts, she turned around to see Rossi showing his ring that he wears on his right hand.

"We'll let this cool down for a bit." Octavia said as she put the oven mitts back into the small draw that was near the oven.

"What ocean animal do you like?" Annabelle asked Rossi as she looked up from touching his ring.

"Ocean animal? What do you like?"

"The dolphin. They are fun, smart and cute." Annabelle told him.

"How about you, Octavia?"

"My favorite animal likes to go in the ocean for food, but I like the penguin." Octavia admitted making Rossi to gently grin at her answer.

"I guess that I can say that my favorite ocean animal would be a dolphin too. For they are intelligent mammals." Rossi said as that was really the only ocean that he could think of at the moment.

"Yeah, they are." Annabelle nodded with a smile.

"Alright, let's get this dinner on the road." Octavia said as she grabbed three sets of plates from a cabinet.

Octavia served the plates to Annabelle then Rossi accepted his plate last. They both held on the plate as they stared one another in the eyes.

"You know that Annabelle will be a smart young lady."

"I know. She wants to be a marine biologist. Protecting the ocean life and researching the wonders of the ocean." Octavia told him as her eyes flicker towards Annabelle sitting at the dining room table.

Letting go of his plate, Rossi held his plate to him while Octavia made herself a plate too. She brought her plate to the dining room with Rossi trailing behind her. Before she sat down, Octavia went to grab the salad bowl and put the garlic bread onto a plate. Carrying both and setting it down on the dining room table. Then she went to grab the container of water and then the bottle of wine with a wine glass. She handed that to Rossi while she poured Annabelle and her a glass of water.

As they begin eating, Annabelle sucked in her bottom lip and trying not to laugh. Octavia eyebrows rose at the five year old before looking at what was making her laugh. Her eyes flicker to Rossi, who had his eyes closed while he chewed his food. When he reopen his eyes to which connected with Octavia eyes, her eyebrows rose.

"Yes?" Rossi inquired.

"Is it that good to the point that you are in a state of bliss?" Octavia asked trying not to laugh but Annabelle has no problem of gently giggles underneath her breath.

"Yes, compliments to the chef." Rossi said, reaching out to grab the wine glass filled with red wine and took a slow sip while keeping his eyes connected with hers.

Taking in the compliment and getting a pride stroke to her ego, Octavia went back to eating her own piece of lasagna while taking a sip of her water every so often. Annabelle would ask Rossi random questions to which he would answer back. When dinner was done, Octavia made a sundae for Annabelle. She turn to Rossi but he only raised his hand with a shake of his head to show that he didn't want any.

By the time Annabelle finish her sundae she was becoming drowsy. Octavia excused herself to take Annabelle upstairs to clean her up and tuck her into bed. When she came back down, Rossi was in the living room and looking at the photos hanging on the wall.

"Your late husband?" Rossi asked as he saw Octavia enter the living room in the corner of his eyes.

Octavia walked towards him until she came to stand beside him. She stared at the photo of her husband, Tristan Draco, holding a surfboard across his chest while smiling at the camera. He had light brown hair, pale blue eyes, athletically fit and seem like he was a tall man.

"He was a surfer?"

"It was a hobby of his. He always loved being around and in the ocean." Octavia answered Rossi as they stared at the photo.

"Is this you?" Rossi pointed out another photo that showed a five year old Octavia dressed in black karate type outfit. Beside it is a photo of Annabelle in karate gear too.

"I found a two photo frame side by side because I see how much Annabelle and I looked alike at her age."

"You did karate?"

"Jiujutsu since I was around six. Having my father as a Navy Seal and being his only daughter, he taught me things but also I went and learned everything possible to defend myself. I then asked Annabelle if she wanted to learn how to defend herself and she said yes." Octavia answered him as they walked away from the wall of photos and sat themselves down on the couch.

"So you could probably take me down in a second."

"Do you want to find out?" Octavia pulled her legs up onto the couch and crisscross them into a pretzel style.

"No, no, no, I am all good." Rossi shook his head as he sat back on the couch with his right arm stretch across the back of it.

A smile came onto her lips as she stared at him before reaching towards her coffee table to pick up the remote. She turn it on where her favorite baseball team was playing at the moment.

"I assume Boston Red Sox are you favorite?"

"Of course. You?"

"Well, I'm from New York." Rossi slowly said making her to make an 'x' mark with her fingers and holding them out towards him.

Rossi grabbed her hands making her to softly laugh as he gives her a smirk.

"I don't watch much baseball, so you don't have to worry about me arguing with you about who's the better team and I'm not a New York team fan." Rossi said, letting go of her hands as she sets them back down onto her lap.

"So, tell me about yourself. Were you born in Boston?"

"Oh no. I was actually born on Martha Vineyard. I was an island girl that went to Boston for college. That's where I met Tristan. Met him at a Red Sox game. We instantly clicked. What about you?" Octavia told Rossi as she stared down at her hands, picking nonvisible dirt from underneath her perfectly file fingernails.

"I grew up in Commack, New York. Was in the Marines then joined the FBI and started the BAU with a few others." Rossi simply told her, not going into any sort of detail about his past.

"You retired from the BAU. What brought you back?"

"Unfinished business, but it was taken care of." Rossi answered, crossing his right leg over his left and his right arm laying across the back of the couch, his fingers tapping against the top.

"Since it is taken care of, you are still there. You enjoy the rush of the solving. But also, taking down the bad guys and saving lives of the innocent." Octavia stated as she guessed why he does what he does.

He only nods making her to nod back. Rossi looked around the living room where his eyes come to rest on a small bookcase in the corner. He stood up making Octavia to watch him walk over to the bookcase.

"Would you look at that." Rossi said, bending down to pick a book off the shelf and hold it up over his shoulder for her to see.

Octavia eyed the book that he was holding up and she cannot help but gently laugh making him to look over his left shoulder with a small grin. The book that was he was holding in the air was one of his many books that he has wrote.

"I was curious." Octavia said as Rossi stared at his book before sliding it back into the bookshelf.

Rossi continued to look through the rest of her books with a mix of children's books that was obviously for Annabelle. There was medical, non-fictional, fictional, animal, and children books. He knew that she had more books laying around somewhere as he takes notice that there wasn't much medical books; thus, he knew most of them are either in another part of the house or at her office.

"You know they say curiosity kills the cat." Rossi told her as he pulled out a book from her shelf and stared at the back, reading the summary.

"And you should know that satisfaction brought it back." Octavia said with a smirk while Rossi let out a low chuckle.

Octavia stood up from the couch with her arms crossed over her chest as she walked towards him to stand beside him. Her eyes flicker to the book that he was holding in his hands.

"Oh, _1984_ by George Orwell. It's one of my favorites growing up." Octavia told him as he flipped it back over to stare at the cover before looking at her.

"Why so?"

"It's captivating to see from a reader's point of view of what enormous power can do to change the function of a society. How the power continue to grow, than that power has complete control over the people to the point that the people become like emotionless robots with only the consciousness of what the society expects them to be." Octavia explained before looking away from the book in his hands to look up at him.

"Do you mind if I reread this?"

"Go right ahead." Octavia told him while taking a small step back from him as he turned to face her.

"I should get going. We both have to work early tomorrow." Rossi said, holding the book in his left hand while reaching up with his right hand to push a strand of her hair that came loose from her ponytail away from her face.

"Next time, my place." Rossi said as he stepped back as they walked towards the front door.

"Yes, next time at your place." Octavia said as she unlocked then open up the front door and hung on the door as Rossi stepped outside.

"Thank you for tonight. I will return this back to you as soon as possible. Good night, Octavia." Rossi held up the book before dropping his arm back down on his side.

"Good night, David." Octavia said, switching to using his first name instead of his last name to which must've caught him off guard as he paused in his walking away and to look back at her.

He nodded at her with a gentle smile before leaving.

Octavia watched him get into his vehicle before she shut the front door, locking it up and stepping away. She stared at the front door with a small smile before turning away and moving towards the kitchen to clean the dishes and put them in the dishwasher. All the while thinking of how there was some sort of relationship beginning to form between the two adults now.

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 **Hi Everyone,**

 **Here is another chapter!**

 **Thank You!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter:** Cellphones

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… **.. A Week Later: …..**

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Heels clicking across the marble floors before pausing in front of a receptionist desk. As Octavia went to open her mouth to tell the receptionist why she was present at Quantico when she heard her name from behind.

Turning around Octavia found herself staring at Derek Morgan walking in from the doors.

"What are you doing here?"

"Let's just say that Rossi and I accidently switched cellphones. I have been getting a message from Hotch over and over again about reports." Octavia explained while pulling out a cellphone that wasn't hers.

"Oh man, he must be getting confronted about that. However, if Rossi hasn't contact you about switching your cellphones back then, ah, he wanted you to come to him." Morgan ran his right hand over his bald head before dropping his hand back down onto his side.

"Well it worked." Octavia said before turning around to the receptionist to get a guest pass.

Once she had a pass on her and she went through a scanner, Octavia let Morgan lead her to an elevator to head up to the BAU department. She felt Morgan glancing at her making her to quickly look at him and caught his eyes.

"What?"

"You do not look like you are forty. You look like you are thirty."

"Must be my heritage." Octavia told him with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Yeah, must be it." Morgan said with a nod before looking away from her and upfront as the elevator doors slid open to show a hallway and glass doors to the side that led into what appeared to be a busy office room.

Together they walked out into the hallway and Morgan open up the glass door, holding it open to allow her to walk in first.

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"Who is that?" JJ pointed out.

At Emily's desk, Emily, Reid, JJ and Garcia turn away from talking to one another to staring at what JJ pointed out.

"Oh my god, it's her." Garcia whispered, standing up from sitting on top of Emily's desk and going wide eyes.

"Wait, is that Rossi's new interest?" Reid questioned as he watched Morgan leading her over towards them.

The team all stood up as a grinning Morgan walked towards them. They took in the woman known as Dr. Octavia Draco. Dressed in a black pencil skirt that stopped just above her knees and hugged her curves. A dark purple button up long sleeve blouse that was tucked into the skirt. The top buttons undone to show off her neck and her sterling silver necklace. Heels on her feet giving her a couple inches in height, but also, showed off her define long legs flexing as she walked.

"How old is she?" JJ whispered to Garcia as the technical analyst of their team definitely did her hacking into research information about Octavia.

"She's forty."

"Are you kidding? She looks younger and she is beautiful." Emily lowly said while JJ nodded in agreement.

"Guys, meet Dr. Octavia Draco face-to-face." Morgan introduced with a smile and glancing at Octavia waving at the team.

"Emily, Reid, JJ, and Garcia. Hotch is in his office." Morgan pointed each of them out as he knew that Rossi definitely told Octavia of who each of the members of the team are like and look like.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet all of you in person." Octavia said as she had her hands clasped together in front of her and resting against the upper part of her legs.

"So, Rossi and you?" Emily blurted out while leaning on her elbows on her desk and giving Octavia an innocent smile while the rest just shake their heads upon Emily just blurting this comment out.

"We are starting to have a close relationship forming." Octavia told them before looking up towards the two offices up on a balcony.

One of them was where Morgan pointed out was Hotch's office while the other one was David Rossi making Octavia to look back at Morgan then back at Rossi office.

"Go ahead. He's most likely doing those reports that Hotch kept bugging him about." Morgan told her with a nod.

Octavia nodded her head before walking through the aisle of desks and then the small set of stairs to get up onto the balcony overhang that held Hotch and Rossi offices.

"Why is she here in the first place?" Emily asked as they whole team was watching Octavia knock on the door then enter the office.

"Rossi and her accidently took each other phones. She said that Hotch has been texting up a storm on the phone so she needed to bring it back immediately. But also, since Rossi hasn't confronted her about them switching phones, she knew that Rossi wanted her to come in." Morgan explained as the team saw a glimpse of Rossi before he shut the office door to give Octavia and him privacy.

"You know, they do look cute together." JJ admitted with her lips slightly pucker out while the others slowly nodded in agreement at the thought of Rossi and Octavia together.

"I have to agree." Reid added.

"Oh, it's so romantic." Garcia squealed while waving her hands about in excitement.

"Yeah, I think it'll work." Derek said with a smirk before turning to his desk and to start working on his own reports before Hotch comes down on him.

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"Here." Octavia held out Rossi cellphone while he pulled out hers from one of his desk draws and held it out towards her.

They switched cellphones while keeping their eyes connected.

"How did you enjoy dinner the other night?" Rossi asked her while motioning for her to sit down in one of the seats before his desk.

Octavia sat herself down and she rested her hands upon her lap. She then thought back about two days ago when Rossi invited her over for dinner. The dinner was perfect and Octavia has to admit that the man can cook. That was the night that they had accidently switched cellphones because they were next to one another on the counter top. It was also the night where Octavia had the courage to lay a kiss against his cheek before leaving for the night.

Yes, Octavia knew that a close relationship was forming.

"It was perfect. Might have to set up another one." Octavia told him as she crossed her right leg over her left. Her eyes caught his eyes flickering to her legs before his eyes are back staring into her eyes.

"Yes, we should."

"So, did you figure out what Mister Hotch wanted since I had your phone the whole time?" Octavia questioned him while resting her right elbow on the arm of the chair and resting her chin upon her hand.

"I got a nice early morning house phone call."

"Oh. That must've been lovely."

"Yeah, it was. Now I got these reports to look over." Rossi told her as he lean forwards in his seat with his hands clasped together.

"You're team seem really nice." Octavia said as she looked towards the windows where the blinds were slightly open for him to see out, but hard for those to look in.

"They are a good bunch of individuals. All of them have their own unique quirks about them that make them good at their jobs." Rossi told her as he too glanced at the window where he knew the team were at.

"So any new cases coming up?" Octavia looked at him with a slight tilt of her head causing her brunette hair to tumble down over her right shoulder.

"Cases usually appeared out of nowhere, but usually almost one or two a week that last for a week at most." Rossi told her as he looked away from the window to stare at her again.

A knock on the door and then JJ appeared with a folder, Rossi looked away from her and looked right at Octavia with a smirk.

"Speaking of which." Rossi said making Octavia smiled as she stood up when Rossi stood up too.

"Actually before I call everyone to the briefing room, I want to ask Octavia a medical suggestion about our case." JJ said, looking in between Rossi and Octavia.

"Sure, what is it?"

"I have to warn you that these pictures are graphic." JJ said making Rossi to step forwards as he wasn't sure if he wanted Octavia to look at them.

"I mostly did my residency in hospital in the ICU unit. I worked in the ICU before I switched over to having my own office." Octavia admitted making Rossi to glance at her as he just learned a new fact about her.

Octavia stood next to JJ as she open up the file to show photos of individuals with a split in the throat and some slice marks on their torso regions.

"The way that there is a slice in the throat right here is the trachea. There also seems to be red blemish around the slices making me to believe that whoever this put a life support tubed in their throat. The rest of these marks appears as if they were doing surgical incision. And there is something else that I believe is happening…" Octavia explained, but towards the end she looked at JJ before looking at Rossi with a slight unsure expression of continuing.

"What is it?" Rossi said as he stepped closer.

"Whoever is doing this is doing it while they are awake. They are keeping them on life support." Octavia finished glancing in between the two.

"How can you tell they are awake?"

"The bruises around the wrist and ankles in these photos show struggle. Some of these marks are perfect incision, but some are jagged making me to believe that the individuals were waking up or maybe the anesthesia was wearing out." Octavia pointed out along the photos as she explained to the two agents.

"I see." JJ whispered as she slowly shut the files and stared at Octavia before looking right at Rossi.

"We got a case." JJ said with a nod before leaving Rossi and Octavia alone.

"Something is telling me that Hotch is going to get wind of your knowledge of helping us out." Rossi said as he stood before Octavia now.

"I'll help as much as possible. You know me."

"I do. You worked in the hospital?" Rossi asked.

"Yes. Residency and I stayed there for a few years working in the hospital before getting my own practice." Octavia told him as they walked out of his office but paused outside of his office to stand across from one another.

"And speaking of Hotch." Rossi said as he looked over Octavia's shoulder.

"Dr. Draco."

"Agent Hotchner." Octavia turned around to face the unit chief of the BAU team.

They shook hands before standing across from one another. Rossi takes a step forwards to stand on Octavia's left side, his shoulder brushing against her own. Hotch looked between the two as he caught sight of how Rossi brushed against her and stayed close to her to the point that their shoulders were touching.

"I heard that you give your medical input to JJ. Do you mind if we keep in touch with you?" Hotch asked as he crossed his arms over his chest while giving her an emotionless stare.

"Yeah, that is perfectly fine."

"Good. Rossi?"

"I will be there in a minute." Rossi said making Hotch to nod before turning on the heels of his shoes and walked away.

"Does he ever smile or show emotion?" Octavia softly asked as she turned on her heels and looked away from Hotch walking away to look at Rossi.

A low chuckle escaped Rossi as he can understand her. Many people, even the team wonder if Hotch even knows how to smile. Rossi turned to face Octavia with his hands in his pockets.

"It will most likely be me calling you. But if you don't want to do this, you don't have to."

"Anything to help." Octavia reminded him making Rossi to nod with an understanding grin.

Her eyes flicker to the briefing room where the door was open and she can see the team sitting in there. However, they would keep looking in their direction to which Octavia knew that they wanted to see if anything happen between Octavia and her.

"I'll see you when we get back."

"The team and you be safe, okay?" Octavia reached out with her left hand to rest against his right forearm.

"We will be."

"And you too, right?"

"Of course." Rossi smiled.

Both can feel the eyes of the team upon them, especially when Octavia hand rested against his forearm in a gentle gesture. Octavia stared at Rossi with a small smirk.

"Your team is watching."

"I know." Rossi nodded with a smirk as he continue to keep his eyes connected with hers.

"Well, I need to head back to work. Have a safe time." Octavia lowly said, squeezing his forearm before dropping her hand and she turn to begin to walk around.

"See you around. I'll be in touch." Rossi said.

"I'll be waiting." Octavia looked back at him over her left shoulder and winked.

Rossi only smiled before making his way towards the briefing room with a slight swagger to his walk. When he entered the briefing room, he shook his head upon seeing Emily and Morgan quickly backing away from the window and sitting down at the table.

"I like her." Emily blurted out making Rossi to shake his head once again while pulling out a chair and sitting down.

"Glad that you do. Now, the case." Rossi said as he opened up the file that was before him.

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… **..**

 **Hi Everyone,**

 **Here's another chapter!**

 **Thanks!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter:** Firsthand Experience

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Within forty-eight hours, Octavia was walking outside of an airport building with a backpack in her right hand and her cellphone in her left. Her eyes flicker around her surroundings as she stared at people getting into rental cars, family or taxis.

"Octavia."

Turning to the left, she smiled upon seeing Rossi coming towards her with Reid along his right side.

"I guess phone calls aren't as better as in person." Octavia said as she walked toward Reid and him.

When Rossi and his team left to travel off to the state of Pennsylvania within hours Hotch had requested her guidance in the medical field. Supposedly the medical examiner isn't meeting eye to eye with Hotch; thus, he made Rossi call her in after calling Erin Strauss—the BAU Section Chief—to get approval to invite Octavia in.

"Did you get someone to watch over Annabelle?"

"Yes. Alex and her mother—my aunt—were happy to watch over Annabelle. My aunt is an elementary teacher and Alex is, as you know, going for her secondary education degree." Octavia explained as Rossi took her bag from her before she can even protest against him.

"Hello Reid."

"Hello, Octavia. I got a question for you."

"What is that?" Octavia replied to the genius of the team.

"Are you Octavia the Minor or the Major?" Reid asked while clasping his hands together, playing with his fingers.

"Minor."

"Did you know that Minor meant 'the younger?' That Octavia the Younger brother was—"

"Roman Emperor Augustus." Rossi cut him off before stepping closer to Octavia and resting his right hand against her lower back, leading her towards an all-black Chevy SUV.

Reid given up the front seat for Octavia while Rossi drove them back to the police station. Octavia stared out the passenger window, watching the scenery of woods go by them.

"So what's the case about?" Octavia turned her attention away from the passenger window to glance in the backseat to Reid before looking at Rossi. A small grin came onto her lips upon seeing him wearing the sunglasses that she brought for him.

"The UNSUB has been kidnapping woman and men around in their late thirties, brunette and they all appeared to work in a social field. All the bodies are found somewhere near water. Their throats cut and body sliced up too." Rossi explained in short summary as he continued to drive through the backroads.

"So these people work with people. Like in retail?" Octavia questioned.

"Mostly health care field." Reid said from the backseat.

"Does this UNSUB show that they have a grudge?" Octavia asked next making Reid to shake his head.

"The UNSUB also leaves their signature on the victims which is unusually small initials. We believe that this UNSUB was doing this because we think they want everyone to notice their work. Trying to make a name for themselves."

"Sounds like this UNSUB has a hand for art." Octavia blurted out making Rossi to glance at her and Reid to lean forwards with his eyebrows coming slightly together in curiosity.

"What?" Octavia looked between the two as she noticed how they are staring at her with a mixture of curiosity and thinking expression.

They pulled up to the police station to which Rossi and Reid walked on either side of Octavia. The two of them open the double doors, allowing Octavia to walk in before them and soon they were on either side of her again as they led her through the station, straight to the team.

"You guys, Octavia said something in the vehicle that had me thinking." Rossi said as they stood around in a circle.

"I did?" Octavia lowly said, glancing at Rossi with her perfectly thin trimmed eyebrows rising up.

"Our UNSUB leaves a small signature of their initials on the left hip of the victims body like an artist would do upon finishing their work." Rossi explained, glancing at Octavia as she walked towards the bulletin board to stare at the victims' bodies.

Her eyes flicker to the left hip of the victims where the initials were located. She looked back at the incision cut marks across the victims' body and she tilted her head to the side.

"Like a sculpture or sketch artist on a canvas." Octavia softly said before turning around to face everyone.

"Sculpture? Sketch artist?" Morgan questioned making Octavia to nod.

"The way that these slices are made is as if they are putting details into the bodies like slices in the abdomen muscles to make a define muscular look. Strokes of slices and the way that the blood is brushed against their body too, it looks like a thin paint brush." Octavia jabbed her thumb behind her to the bulletin board.

The others stepped forwards and tilted their heads too, not trying to closely focus on the bodies in a psychological way, but in a broader sight.

"Oh yeah, I see it." Emily pointed out.

"How did we not see this?" Morgan lowly mumbled.

"We were focus on the victimology instead of seeing the slices on the body then the way that the blood was presented and laid out. Didn't the medical examiner say anything about the way the blood was formed?" Rossi turned towards Hotch, who had gone with Emily to talk to the examiner earlier.

"No." Hotch shook his head, glaring at the board before turning away and flipping open his phone to call Garcia.

"I can go look at the bodies if you want me to." Octavia said, looking at the team with raised eyebrows.

Rossi was already not happy with bringing Octavia to their case, not wanting her to see and witness any of this, but her medical knowledge was needed. But also, a new set of eyes was good, especially with her pointing out the markings on the bodies that they completely let go over their heads. Now, she was asking to go see the bodies making him to open his mouth to say he would go with her, but Hotch stepped in.

"Reid go with Octavia."

"Right." Reid nodded before walking with Octavia back out of the police station and outside to the SUV.

"Rossi."

Rossi turned away from staring at the board to look at Hotch. Morgan, JJ, and Emily looked between the two before mumbling about going to go look at the files. JJ went to another room where one of the victim parents were to talk to them to try to gain more information. Hotch stood facing Rossi with the usual serious look, but this one seem different. This one with a hint of concern.

"What's the matter?"

"I didn't want her to get involved like this with the case." Rossi admitted while exhaling out of his mouth and glancing away from Hotch to stare at the bulletin board before looking back at Hotch.

"I understand, Dave, but look how much Octavia knows. With fresh eyes, especially one with medical knowledge, Octavia just pointed out more facts that we looked right over. I can understand that you do not want someone you are involved with seeing this line of work, but we need this Dave. It has been two days and we are up to four victims." Hotch explained as he kept staring at Rossi without blinking.

"I know, I know. But it doesn't mean that I enjoy it. I have that gut feeling." Rossi replied before turning back around to cross his arms over his chest and stare at the bulletin board.

"Something isn't right about all of this. Whoever this is has medical experience yet has an artist hand." Hotch stepped up beside Rossi as they stared at the board together, however, Hotch looked at Rossi, who was looking in between two of the victims.

"What's wrong?"

"Octavia pointed out that the jagged marks happen most likely when the person begin to wake up or the pain medication worn off. However, this latest victim slices are perfect with only a slight jerk of a mess up when the victim began to wake up."

"Are you saying we might be dealing with two UNSUBs?" Hotch questioned as he looked at the two victim photos too.

"I think we are. A young and older. The older suffering from arteritis making the slice marks to jagged. The younger learning and making precise marks. Have Garcia look up any past history of missing people that were found near water with some slice marks. But also, someone with an art background." Rossi said, walking away from the bulletin board to walk to the table where the files were while Hotch did what Rossi suggested.

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Entering the medical examiner building, Octavia and Reid met the medical examiner who was about sixty in age, but appeared strong for his age. He introduced himself as Dr. Walter Williams and led them down into the examination room.

They enter the examination room where the latest victim body was on the table. Octavia moved towards the body while Reid was glancing around the room, his eyes flickering to one of the open metal cabinets that a body would be in. However, Reid looked at the older man that was eyeing Octavia up to which made Reid to move unsteadily on his feet in an uncomfortable gesture. Reid kept his eyes on him with his hands slipped in his slack pockets.

"What is this?" Octavia whispered as she stared at one of the incision marks that the UNSUB made.

She put on rubber gloves and grabbed a pair of tweezers to pluck a thin fragment of what appeared to be a bristle to a brush.

"Do you have a microscope that I can use?"

"Right there." Dr. Williams grinned while pointing to the microscope.

Octavia walked over to it and put the small piece on a petri dish before turning the microscope on. She looked into the lens while Reid stood beside her, his eyes keep looking back at the older man.

"It looks like a fragment from a brush. What do you think, Reid?" Octavia pulled away to look at Reid's face, but see that he was staring at Dr. Williams, who was pulling the blanket back over the victim's body with shaky hands.

"Reid?" Octavia softly whispered making him to look at her and nodded.

She stepped aside to allow him to look into the microscope making her to look around and then her eyes flicker down to the counter where she sees very detailed hand drawn sketches of organs and bodies.

Her eyes flicker to the bottom to see initials that looked very familiar.

"Dr. Williams, are you in here? We have another." A young man appeared in the doorway and pushing up his glasses before looking straight at Octavia and Reid with wide eyes.

"Yes. Dr. Draco and Dr. Reid, this is my apprentice, Matthew Winks. He will be taken over this place when I retire." Dr. Williams smile widely making Reid and Octavia to stick close to one another while they nodded towards this Matthew Winks.

"Nice to meet you." Octavia waved as she stared at the young man before her eyes flicker over to Dr. Williams, who was fixing the white blanket over the victim body as if he was tucking them in.

Her eyes flicker to the steel cabinets that held bodies and her eyes went to the one that was open to see a hand. What freaked her out at that moment was that the hand moved.

"Reid, have you found anything with the fragment?" Octavia softly said as she looked back at Reid, who was looking back into the microscope. She leaned close to him to the point that her hair brushed over his shoulder.

"Whatever you do, do not freak out. Something is off about them. The sketches on the counter are the same initials designs on the body." Octavia softly whispered into Reid's ear before stepping on the other side of him, further away from the two medical examiners.

"I think they are our UNSUBS."

"Try to speed dial the team." Octavia mumbled as she pretend to fix something on the microscope.

"Is there anything we can do for you?" Matthew Winks asked, clearing his throat and fidgeting in his spot while playing with his fingers.

"You are a good artist." Reid said as his left hand was in his pocket where he was hitting buttons on his cellphone to speed dial Hotch.

… **..**

… **.. Ten Minutes Earlier: …..**

… **..**

"What do you got for me, Garcia?" Hotch asked when he answered his cellphone and then put it on speaker phone for the whole team to listen in.

" _Well, I had made many cross reference to get ahead of the game and I must say it was a lot to do, but you know I can handle anything and—"_

"Garcia." Hotch cut her off of her rambling.

" _Right, sorry sir. I did a cross reference of the victims jobs, who they mostly reported to and other cases of bodies. Well, I had found out that all the bodies that were found in the past near banks of water with slice marks. Then the victims that we have now, all of them either worked for some sort of health organization or social work in the local hospital to help families figure out a way to arrange funeral arrangements. However, all the bodies went through one medical examiner."_

"Let me guess, Dr. Walter Williams."

" _Yes. And he has just be diagnosed with very bad arteritis hands making him to retire early from being a medical examiner. He then taken on an apprentice, Matthew Winks, who has gotten in trouble once in school for showing disturbing behavior to the cadavers. However, Dr. Williams had given him a second chance by working for him. Matthew Winks is also a minor in visual art while Dr. Williams was known to sell paintings. Guess what the paintings usually are?"_ Garcia explained then questioned.

"I assume images of bodies. Thanks Garcia." Hotch said, hanging the phone up.

"Oh my god. Reid and Octavia." Emily whispered causing them to look at each other than at Rossi, who immediately begin to pull on his coat and heading towards the door.

"David, stop right there." Hotch exclaimed, pointing right at the older agent.

"We cannot waste time." Rossi turned around replying.

"We have to warn Reid and Octavia before we try to go in. We have to try not to endanger them." Hotch explained before he looked at his phone that started to ring.

"It's Reid." Hotch said before answering the phone.

"Reid…Reid are you there? Reid." Hotch kept saying, but stopped talking upon hearing talking that wasn't there.

"What is it?" Morgan asked as he notice how Hotch head slightly tilted as if he was trying to listen to something very closely.

"Reid speed dial me. I hear Dr. Williams and another person talking. Sounds like a young man." Hotch explained as he continued to listen in before he heard the voice getting louder.

"We have to move in now. My gut is telling me so." Rossi snapped making Hotch to nod.

"Get the officers ready and suit up." Hotch said as he begin walking out of the station with the team and the sheriff rounding up his men.

The team looking at Rossi as he got into the passenger seat of the SUV Hotch was driving and he had a look of determination as he strapped on his FBI bulletproof vest.

"Rossi—"

"Don't Hotch. Just don't."

"We have to make sure that Reid and Octavia do not get into any crossfire or held as hostages. We have to try to get them out as if they don't know."

"They will know that we are coming. They'll know." Rossi instantly replied making Hotch to look forwards as they sped down the back roads with Morgan up ahead and cop cars following.

… **..**

… **..**

… **..**

"I have a visual art minor." Matthew replied to Reid's comment about having an artistic hand.

"I see. Do you always put your initials on your work?"

Octavia knew right then and there that Reid was informing Dr. Williams and Matthew that they know that the two were the UNSUBs. Upon seeing Dr. Williams smile drop from his face and Matthew locking up the medical examination room door, Octavia came up to stand behind Reid.

"How did you figure it out?"

"You two were always the examiners assigned to the bodies. You washed the blood off the body before anyone else can take pictures or allowed authorities to look upon before they tell you to do so. And your sketches have your initials just like the bodies that were marked." Reid nodded to the papers on the countertop.

"I told you to file those." Dr. Williams snarled at the younger man, who slightly cower away from him.

"And the alive victim in that metal cabinet right there where the door is still open." Octavia pointed out making Dr. Williams to open it right up and pull the metal table out. There he put a scalpel against the throat of the person that was arousing awake.

Immediately Reid pulled out his gun and pointed it at Dr. Williams. This makes Matthew to pull out a gun and point it at Reid.

"Seems we are in a gridlock." Dr. Williams creepily smiled.

"How about we set the guns down and talk this out?" Octavia whispered as she didn't want to be in the middle of a gun fight.

Her mind instantly thinking of her little girl at home, who was just thinking that mommy was just sitting in an office going over medical files while helping out Rossi and his team. Octavia stared at the young man with the gun and took notice of something. The safety was on the gun and Matthew didn't realize it. Neither did Reid apparently. That makes Octavia to put on a brave face and took a step forwards.

"Octavia, what are you doing?" Reid said, his voice going up an octave as he couldn't believe that Octavia was taking steps towards the UNSUB with a gun that was now pointing right at her.

"I want to negotiate." Octavia said with her hands raised in the air.

The sound of sirens outside make Dr. Williams to curse underneath his breath while Matthew was slightly shaking. Dr. Williams looked at Matthew with a glare.

"Train the gun on the toothpick with a gun instead of the unarmed woman, dammit." Dr. Williams pulled the scalpel away from the person on the metal pulled table throat and begin to walk backwards towards an exit door that was present in the room.

The gun was once again trained on Reid, who wanted to train his gun on Dr. Williams, who was going to make an escape, but he kept his gun train on the man that obviously had a gun pointing at him.

"Reid go after Dr. Williams."

"But Octavia—"Reid was saying, but she waved her right hand at him.

"Go after him because Matthew can't shoot you or me." Octavia told him as she saw that Dr. Williams was opening up the exit door, but looked at Octavia with raised eyebrows upon her comment.

"Octavia I can't do that."

"Reid…" Octavia looked away from Matthew and at Reid.

"The safety is on." She finished before turning around and high kicking Matthew's gun out of his hand.

Realizing what she meant, Reid quickly chased after Dr. Williams that ran out the back exit door. While Octavia was shoved backwards. She looked up as Matthew yelled and charged her to which was his number one mistake.

As Matthew charged her with a loud angry yell, the examination room door busted open to show Morgan, Hotch and Rossi with their guns drawn. But they stopped as they watched Matthew lunge at Octavia.

"Octavia!" Rossi shouted.

"Wait, don't shoot." Hotch shouted at the cops that begin to enter the room with their guns drawn.

Grabbing Matthew's right arm that was swinging towards her, she twisted it causing a crack to ring out, she hooked her leg around his own and ripped him forwards. Turning her back to him, Octavia lifted him up over her and slammed him onto his back. Quickly, she maneuver on his body to pin his arm in an uncomfortable position with her right foot resting in between his shoulder blades.

"Reid went after Dr. Williams out that back door." Octavia shouted making Morgan to run out the back door while Hotch and Rossi came over to her.

"Buddy you made one mistake when challenging her." Rossi said as a cop came forwards to handcuff Matthew Winks once Octavia let him go.

"You messed with a three degree black belt woman in jiujutsu." Rossi finished as stood toe to toe with the young UNSUB, who was groaning in pain due to Octavia's quick submission hold.

Once the cop led the young UNSUB out of the room, Rossi placed his hand on her lower back while stepping close to her. Octavia has her eyes closed, breathing in and out of her nose, trying to relax her body from the adrenaline rush. Hotch stood before Octavia before looking towards the metal table that was slid out of one of the metal fridge cabinets to see medics around it and taking care of the person that was alive on it.

"Are you alright?" Rossi gently asked her.

Octavia open her eyes and turn her head to stare up into Rossi's eyes.

"You owe me big time."

A small grin came onto his lips as he held her close and ran his hand in a small circular motion on her lower back in a comforting manner.

"You alright, Octavia?" Hotch looked at her, ignoring the closeness of Rossi and her.

"Yeah. Reid and I suspected something was wrong when we notice the sketches on the countertops and the initials that matched on the body. Then the way Dr. Williams kept eyeing me as if I was some object. Then the fact I saw that man's body over there moving, signaling he was alive. Yeah, I knew something was wrong and Reid quickly caught on too." Octavia explained making Hotch to nod while stepping away from them and pressing his right hand to his ear where the ear piece was.

"Morgan and Reid got Dr. Williams. We got both of the UNSUBs now in custody." Hotch said making Rossi to nod while looking down at Octavia as she lets out a relief exhale.

"Let's get out of here and you home."

"You mean all of us home." Octavia said making Rossi to nod while leading her out of the building.

"You know, what you did was brave." Rossi said.

"Did you know what his true mistake was?"

"What?"

"He pointed at gun at Reid and me, but his safety was on. I got close enough to kick the gun out of his hand then took him out." Octavia told Rossi as they exit the building and got outside.

"Octavia that was a risky move." Rossi stopped walking and looked down at her.

"Yes, but it was one of those chances that you had to take." Octavia replied as she stared back up at him with green eyes that appear to really stick out as the sunlight shined down upon them.

"Just don't do that again." Rossi said as he led her towards the SUV, walking pass Emily and JJ.

"Oh, there's an again?"

"You know what I mean."

"No, no, I don't. You said an again, Rossi."

"I meant if something like this was to happen, don't let it happen again."

"Are you sure? I'm pretty sure you are saying that you like my presence in that sentence."

"Octavia, I don't want this happening to you again."

"But you said if something was to happen like this again, don't let it happen like this again."

"Why are you trying to twist my words? You know what I mean."

"No, I don't. Please explain more to me, oh great grandmaster of profiling."

"You know they will make a good couple." Emily pointed out as Octavia and Rossi kept going back and forth while trying not to smile at one another as they did so.

Soon Morgan, Reid and Hotch came up to stand with Emily and JJ as they join in on watching Octavia and Rossi still going back and forth, but this time grins were on their lips.

"Yeah, I believe they will be." Hotch said making the team to glance at their unit chief with raised eyebrows then at each other as they realized something.

If Hotch notices and said how good two people will be together then they will be just that.

… **..**

… **..**

… **..**

… **..**

… **..**

 **Hi Everyone,**

 **Here's another chapter!**

 **Decided to twist it up a bit from the show series and get Octavia involved with the team some way, somehow.**

 **Thanks!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter:** Closer

… **..**

… **.. Few Weeks Later: …..**

… **..**

"You know, shouldn't you be focusing on your case?"

" _We are allowed to sleep you know."_

"Oh and here I thought that you guys were up twenty-four seven."

" _Are you mocking me?"_

"No. I'm serious." Octavia shrugged her shoulders, smiling at the laptop screen where she was having a video feed chat with Rossi, who was smirking back at her.

" _Uh-huh."_

"Why are you acting like I'm picking on you?" Octavia asked, but narrowed her eyes upon Rossi chuckling at her.

" _You know I'm messing with you."_

"Are you sharing a room with anyone?"

" _No. I get my own room."_

"Aren't you royalty?" Octavia dryly said making Rossi to wink at her.

"How's the case going? I have been hearing through all sorts of news media about what is going on. It's a bit scary thinking that the killer is randomly shooting people in the back of the head on the streets of New York." Octavia said as she stared at him with concern.

Her eyes flicker up to her flat screen TV in her room that was on the news, but the volume was low. She saw that the news was showing coverage on the incidents happening in New York where the killer was dressed in all black with a hoodie on and just randomly selecting a person to kill by shooting them.

" _It's not moving fast enough. Whoever these individuals are—"_

"Wait, you said these."

" _There's more than one. We believe it is a group of people that believe in the same anarchy ideals. Don't mention that to anyone."_

"You know I won't." Octavia softly replied.

" _They know the locations of the cameras and know that we are watching."_

"Just be careful please. I know that I tell you over and over again to be safe, but please, just be careful on this one. I don't have a good feeling about this and I rarely have those moments." Octavia told him with half-lidded eyes filled with worry and concern.

" _Don't worry, we will be and so will I. When I get back, we will take that trip to the aquarium with Annabelle, alright?"_

For the past weeks, almost a month, Octavia and Rossi relationship was becoming stronger than ever. They continue to go back and forth with having dinner, sometimes going to a restaurant. The two taking it slow, but finding it beneficial to forming a strong relationship. For Rossi, he never taken things this slow before, but now that he was, he was realizing how much better it was to do so.

"Yes, she keeps asking about it."

" _Alright. Get some sleep."_

"You know, I never would've thought that you would know how to use a video feed to chat with me."

" _Good night, Octavia."_ Rossi shook his head, chuckling as Octavia sometimes picks on him when it comes to technology.

"Good night, David." Octavia smiled before ending the video feed.

Shutting the laptop, Octavia moved it to her nightstand and she grabbed the remote. She turn up the volume to listen in on more about the incidents happening in New York where Rossi and the BAU team were located, working on that particular incident.

… **..**

… **.. Next Day: …..**

… **..**

Working, Octavia kept her mind busy with taken on patients after patients for the day. She just finish prescribing someone antibiotics to a foot fungus when she took notice that Missy and a few others stood around the TV in the staff room when she was walking by.

"What's going on?" Octavia asked as she walked up to stand beside Missy and another nurse.

"They just reported that an officer was shot by one of those shooters."

"What?" Octavia whispered as she stared at the screen where it was showing a helicopter view of an alleyway where cops were all located.

Turning away, Octavia left everyone behind to go back to her office. Missy stared after her with a small frown, knowing that Octavia was worrying about one particular agent.

Entering her office, Octavia moved to her desk where she pulled out her cellphone to send Rossi a text asking if everyone was okay, including him. She slipped the cellphone in her pocket and let out an exhale with her eyes closed. Leaving her office again, Octavia moved down the hallway to see if she had more patients to look over but she had none.

Therefore, Octavia went back to her office and shut the door behind her. Just as she sat down behind her desk, her cellphone buzzed in her doctor coat. Pulling out her cellphone and hitting the button to read the message from Rossi, she shut her eyes in relief as he informed her it wasn't anyone on the team. But it was an officer that was working with them.

Setting her cellphone beside her keyboard, Octavia turn on her computer. She got onto a news channel website and turn on a live stream to watch the news. For the pass hour she watched and on occasional her eyes flicker to her cellphone, but no messages.

There was only a few more patients to examine before Octavia went home where Annabelle was waiting for her. Once Alex left, Octavia ordered out pizza and asked Annabelle if she wanted to play board games.

Sitting on the floor in the living room with the game _Candyland_ across the coffee table with snacks and drinks, Octavia sat across from Annabelle as they played. However, Octavia had on the news where it kept showing the ongoing incidents happening.

Rossi had texted her a few hours ago saying that he won't be able to talk to her as much as the case was getting tougher.

"Mommy, it's your turn."

"Yes, yes, it is." Octavia turn her attention away from the TV to pick up a card from the board.

"Mommy, is David there?" Annabelle pointed at the TV making Octavia to look too.

"Yes. David and the team are there trying to get the bad guys."

Being around Rossi and the team, Annabelle has found the team as close people. She started calling Rossi David now and referring as the team as aunt and uncle, especially when Garcia told Annabelle to do so.

"They'll get them." Annabelle said as she turned her attention back to the board game.

"I know. I know they will." Octavia softly said as she slowly torn her attention away from the TV to make her move on the board game.

About two hours later, Octavia was slowly shutting Annabelle's bedroom door but leaving it slightly cracked. Octavia had already freshen up for the night and now she was sitting up against her headboard of her king size bed, watching the news once again.

For the past days, she couldn't take her eyes off the news or not listen to the news. Octavia couldn't help but worry for Rossi and the BAU team. She had to keep herself updated about what was happening.

Flicking the channel to the sports channel for a second to see what's on, maybe try to relax her mind from worrying, she found herself unable to. Therefore, she found herself flicking back to the news channel within five minutes.

It was within five minutes that everything drastically changed.

A news helicopter was hovering over a seat where what appear to be an SUV was in flames. Barriers were being set up at the ends of that street, allowing no one to enter.

"Oh no." Octavia whispered, mouth dropping and her eyes widen.

Quickly, Octavia grabbed her plugged in cellphone off the nightstand and quickly sent Rossi a text. She didn't care at the moment if he supposed to not text, she just needed to know that they were alright. That he was alright. The fear of losing someone very close was too painful to think of for Octavia.

When no messages came in five minutes, Octavia sent Garcia a text next then an email. She instantly got a message back in email from Garcia saying she doesn't know who it was and that she only got a few of them to reply back before the phone lines went dead on them.

Octavia dropped her cellphone on the bed sheets as she clasped her hands before her mouth as she continue to watch the scene unfold before her eyes. The news helicopter hovering over before moving away from the scene making Octavia to believe that they were not authorize to be around the area at that very moment.

"Please, don't be any of them." Octavia said out loud to herself.

The screen switch to a news reporter that was on ground and the cameraman had manage to zoom in past the SWAT and cops to down the streets where the burning SUV was located. There was a lone ambulance on the scene now. But what Octavia notice was that there was all these officers around and medics, but they weren't moving amongst that barricade, so why that lone ambulance get through now.

Feeling a buzz on her phone, she looked down to see another email from Garcia stating that Rossi was back at the station with the rest, except Hotch. That it was Hotch vehicle, but he was fine. The other agent with him wasn't though.

"Oh god." Octavia shook her head, not believing that this madness was happening.

She wouldn't sleep until she knew that they were all safe and that they would not be in harm's way anymore. She stayed up till one o'clock where she finally got a message from Rossi himself.

' _ **We are safe. Heading back in the morning.'**_

Those words brought this relief over her body and she felt the exhaustion of staying up take its toll since she never stayed up that late. Laying down, Octavia quickly texted back before she fell asleep.

'I'm glad.' Was her text reply before dropping the cellphone onto the nightstand before pulling the blankets closer around her and she shut her eyes as sleep came quickly this time.

… **..**

… **.. Next Day: …..**

… **..**

Octavia was at work when Rossi came in around afternoon time. She had immediately dropped everything and hugged him tight making him to hug her back with this sense of urgency. When she pulled back, she gave him a swift punch to his right arm.

"Ow! What was that for?" Rossi questioned as he rubbed his right bicep while staring at her with shock. But his eyes soften upon seeing the worriedness in her eyes and how a small frown was on her lips.

He knew right then and there why she was so frighten. Because she had lost her husband years ago, she doesn't need to lose anyone close to her like that again. Rossi dropped his left hand from rubbing his right bicep to hold open his arms for her to walk back into them.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't keep in contact with you very much. There was reason behind it." Rossi softly told her.

"I understand. But it didn't help the fact about how worried I was for the team and you." Octavia said as she rested her head against his chest and to deeply breathe in his scent to calm down her nerves.

"We are all good. Which I need to ask you something."

"Yes?" Octavia stepped back to stare up into his eyes.

"I need you to look over Hotch. Do you know what happen to him?"

"He was caught in an explosion during that case. What's the problems?" Octavia asked him as they walked side by side towards her office to talk privately in there.

Walking into her office behind him, Octavia walked around her desk and stood behind it. Rossi stood before her desk, looking around her office before his eyes landed back onto her.

"You know I still can't get over the fact that you got a bigger office then me." Rossi said making Octavia to gently chuckle while nodding for him to sit down to which he does so. Octavia sat down into her seat after he had sat down.

"So, what is going on with Hotch?" Octavia asked as she leaned back in her seat with her hands clasped together on her stomach as she slightly bowed her head while keeping her eyes on him.

"He has suffered an ear injury in his right ear as he was right next to the car upon explosion. He was tossed a good distance too."

"Was he checked out?"

"The doctors said that he suffer damage to the ear and internal bruising." Rossi told her making her to nod while leaning forward on her seat while resting her hands upon her desk.

"He most likely damaged his ear drum to the point of almost going deaf. Did he go on plane on the way back?"

"Yes."

"He shouldn't even be on a plane because of the air pressure. He most likely needs to stay away from loud noises too because if he happens to experience a loud enough sound, he can get permanent ear damage." Octavia explained while Rossi nodded as he understood.

They had to get Hotch checked out medically before there was any more damage done upon him.

"Have you told him to set up an appointment?"

"Yes. I have told him to make an appointment with a doctor, which I suggested you or go to an ear doctor. But I assume that you can most likely look to see the problem. He'll be stubborn with you, but I know that you would set him in his place."

"Me set him in his place? The man that never smiles. Really, Dave?" Octavia eyebrows raised while he chuckle and stared at her in amusement.

"He will. I'll make sure to tell him go easy on you." He said making Octavia to shake her head while looking away to stare at her computer screen to stare at the time, but also, click on a button on her keyboard to bring up a calendar schedule.

"I have one more appointment and then I have to take Annabelle to jiujutsu classes." Octavia told him, looking away from the screen where the schedule was before looking at Rossi as he stood up from the seat.

"How is she doing in that class?"

"Good." Octavia stood up from the seat to lead him back out of the office.

"She supposed to receive a new belt today." Octavia told Rossi as she led him to the front, but stopped near the door that separate the hallway and the waiting room.

As Missy walked by, she handed Octavia the last patient for the day files while Octavia continue to stare at Rossi as he open up the door, but he looked back at her.

"What time?"

"At six." Octavia answered.

"I'll be there." Rossi told her making Octavia to smile as she was happy that Rossi shown commitment with not only Octavia, but also, Annabelle.

For Octavia was glad that Rossi doesn't ignore Annabelle, but wanted to get to know her and treat her as if she was his own. Octavia nodded at him making Rossi to nod back before leaving her to continue on working.

… **..**

… **.. Later Evening: …..**

… **..**

Around six, Octavia was standing at the mats with her arms crossed over her chest as she watched Annabelle dressed in black fighting outfit wearing a grey-white belt where she was aiming to get a gray solid by the end of today.

"Hey did we miss anything?" Rossi appeared beside Octavia.

"We?" Octavia whispered back before turning around to see the BAU team standing right there. She smiled then looked towards the mat where Annabelle stood with her classmates, but she looked over towards them.

When the five year old saw Rossi and the team standing there, Annabelle got the widest smile upon her face and she frantically waved at them making them to wave back. Annabelle turn her attention back forwards were they begin to start their lesson.

"So you did Jiu-jitsu too?" JJ appeared beside Octavia while rubbing her right hand upon her bulging pregnant stomach.

"Yeah. I occasionally try to go to classes now a days. I kept going until I got some degrees on my black belt. But moving and getting a new job here, I had to find a new place to continue being limber." Octavia said as she kept her eyes on Annabelle practicing guard passes with one of the teachers.

The BAU team were cheering on Annabelle making some of the parents to look over at Octavia with raised eyebrows. She only gave the parents a smile while looking at Annabelle being tested with a few other students to be belt promoted.

"There you go, Belle." Octavia softly said as she clasped her hands together and pressed against her lips.

"She's doing well." Rossi bowed his head to softly whisper into Octavia's right ear.

"That's it, Annabelle!" Morgan exclaimed while throwing his hand in the air with a smile.

Everyone clasped and cheered when Annabelle bowed to the teacher before standing straight up. When she received her new belt, Octavia clapped her hand with the rest of the BAU team.

"Look, Mommy!" Annabelle ran forwards, showing off her new grey belt.

Kneeling down, Octavia hugged Annabelle close to her while kissing the top of her head. Once she let her go, Annabelle was showing off her belt to the rest of the BAU team, who were complimenting her and giving her high fives.

"Reid I bet she can take you down." Morgan pointed out as he held Annabelle up in his arms.

The team laughed while Reid made a pouting expression.

"Let's go celebrate this little combat warrior's belt promotion." Garcia excitedly said making the team to nod and mumble in agreement.

While the team went ahead with Annabelle in Morgan's arms, Octavia and Rossi walked side by side watching the team. They were going to walk down the street to a small restaurant that serves good steak and steak French fries.

As they continue to walk, Octavia felt Rossi slyly wrap his right arm around her waist to keep her close as they walked behind the group. She felt as if they were parents watching their children horse around in front of them as they walked to the restaurant. Her eyes flicker up to Rossi making him to look back at her.

"You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm just happy to have all of you a part of Annabelle and my life." Octavia told him as she looked forwards.

"I'm glad." Rossi replied as he held her close as they picked up their pace to quickly catch up to the rest of the team.

… **..**

… **..**

… **..**

… **..**

… **..**

 **Hi Everyone,**

 **Here is another chapter!**

 **Also, I apologize if I get any information wrong about the whole belt ranking and whatnot.**

 **Enjoy this chapter and the story!**

 **Thanks!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter:** Agreement

… **..**

… **.. Two Weeks Later: …..**

… **..**

Writing down a prescription for a patient, Octavia would occasionally look up at patient as they were fidgeting in their spot on the exam table.

"Are you alright, Jay?"

"Yeah, yeah. Just thinking about these prescription."

"It's antibiotic. They are to help get rid of the plantar warts on the bottom of your left foot. If that doesn't work, we will go into another procedure of freezing the wart off. But you are sure that the over the counter medicine didn't work?"

"No. I tried and it just won't go away."

"If these spread and get bigger then they might have to be surgically removed." Octavia told him as she handed him over the small prescription sheet before holding the clipboard to her chest with her pen in her right hand.

"I don't want that." Jay told her as he slid off the table and walked towards the door.

"No we do not." Octavia agreed as she open the door and allowed him to step out before him.

"Have a good day, Jay."

"You too, Dr. Draco." Jay said before he walked down the hallway and disappear around a corner to head to the waiting room.

Octavia walked back to her office where she filed away from the patients file and she went to the bathroom. When she exited the bathroom, she walked towards the staff room to begin her lunch break. While Octavia ate her spinach, chicken and fetta Panini, she was flipping through her new iPhone. She was going through her emails and seeing if she has any new text messages.

There was emails from her parents asking how Annabelle and she were doing, an email from the school where she wants to send Annabelle too, and the random spam emails. She replied back to her parents saying how Annabelle and she are doing fine and how DC was. Octavia slightly mentioned Rossi and the BAU team, but she knew her parents, especially her father would catch on the way she talked about him. As she sent that email, Octavia went to her text messaging where she saw a message from Alex.

Opening up the text message, Octavia smiled upon seeing Alex had taken a picture of Annabelle baking with her, but causing a mess. But the apron and the chef hat on her head and the flower all over her made Octavia to begin to lowly chuckle.

Soon Octavia got a text message from Rossi about them wrapping up a case, but Hotch needs to be checked out by her again. Last week before Hotch went on the case that they are finally returning back, Octavia checked him out. Sure enough he had damage his ear drum to the point that he almost got permanent ear damage. Octavia wasn't too happy when she found out that Hotch went onto the jet when she told him not to. However, upon scrolling through the text message from Rossi, she read that Hotch not only needs to be checked out again, but also, Rossi had stated that Hotch was driving right now instead of flying in the jet. This made Octavia to know that Hotch right ear must be in serious pain and he was taking it serious now.

Setting her iPhone down, Octavia looked up towards the flat screen TV in the corner of the staff room and saw it was on a daytime talk show channel. She looked back down to finish up her Panini before standing up and cleaning everything up. Slipping her iPhone back into her slack pockets, Octavia walked down the hallway to head towards the window where the receptionist can talk to patients, nurses, and doctors without going into the waiting room.

Seeing that another patient was in an exam room, Octavia notice that it was a patient complaining about going to the bathroom making her to have a funny feeling that they might have a urinary tract infection; thus, pee samples.

Octavia walked towards the exam room where one of the younger nurses appeared out of the room with paperwork.

"What's the diagnostic?"

"Burns when they go to the bathroom and hurts afterwards. I have the patient, Mr. Arthur Runs doing a pee sample right now." Nurse Bethany Sands told Octavia, who nodded.

"Good. I will go to the lab room to analyze it." Octavia said as she walked in the opposite direction to head towards the lab where they usually do a look over with chemicals and microscopes to see if they can find anything.

Entering the lab, pulling on rubber gloves, Octavia waited until Bethany appeared with the cup. She begin to look underneath the microscope, twisting the knobs and focusing in on the liquid. Pulling away, Octavia turned to look at Bethany, who still standing there.

"He has urinary infection." Octavia said as she pulled off the rubber gloves, tossing them into the waste bin and washing up her hands before leaving the lab.

Octavia moved to the examination room where she informed Mr. Arthur Runs that he has a urinary infection where they will put him on antibiotics. She also informed him to start drinking cranberry juice and water more than coffee and other sugary drinks.

Once she finished with this patient, Octavia left the exam room and let out a breathless sigh of relief as she was finished the rest of her appointments. Now, she was in her office, taking off her doctor coat and hanging it up.

Grabbing her bag that contained her wallet and keys, Octavia pulled on her black pea coat. She shut off her computer and sliding her planner into her bag, Octavia left the office, locking it behind her. Octavia moved towards the front where the other doctor is going to be running the rest of the appointments. Octavia waved to her workers before leaving the building altogether.

As she walked towards her Audi, she got into the driver's seat and she toss her bag on the passenger seat. Buckling up and starting up the car, she grabbed her iPhone to see a message from Rossi again.

The message informing her that they will be landing in about ten minutes. She informed him that she was heading home and was thinking about ordering Chinese and watching a movie. Once that was sent, she quickly texted him again to inform him that when Annabelle goes to bed they can play video games.

The day that she found out that Rossi played video games, Octavia had a ball. She kept picking on him about being up to date with such video games and was surprised that he knew about certain video games other than Pacman. For she didn't find David Rossi as a man who was sit down and play Grand Theft Auto or racing games.

Feeling her phone make a bing sound and vibrate a lot, she looked at the reply from Rossi and she cannot help but get a grin forming onto her light pink lips.

' _ **I'll get the Chinese, you get a good movie going. One that I will not fall asleep in. And then we are on tonight for racing games or Call of Duty.'**_

Setting her iPhone down in the cup holder of her car, she reversed to pull out of her parking spot then put the car into drive to pull out of the parking lot and onto a road. From there, she drove the usual twenty minutes without traffic and got home to greet Alex and Annabelle putting baked cookies in a dish.

Upon entering the kitchen, Octavia paused in the doorway to stare at the bake goods on the kitchen island. There was a cake, few plates of cookies and a dish of a dozen cupcakes.

"You two were busy." Octavia gently laughed as she eyed all the sweets.

"I want to bring some to the BAU team, mommy."

"We will, trust me. I am not going to eat all of this no matter how tempting all of this looks." Octavia said as she grabbed a chocolate chip cookie from a plate and took a bite, loving the softness and the chocolate chips taste.

Octavia made sure that Alex took the plate of cupcakes when she left, leaving Octavia to have three plates of cookies and a chocolate cake.

"Go wash up, Belle. David is going to be coming by in a while with Chinese food and we are going to watch a movie. Anyone particular movie that you want to watch?" Octavia asked before the five year old ran out of the kitchen to go upstairs to wash up.

"Umm, can we watch _Harry Potter_ or _Finding Nemo_?"

"How about when David gets here we will decide between those ones?" Octavia said making Annabelle to nod before running out of the kitchen to go upstairs to clean up.

Octavia stared around the kitchen to see no mess; thus, she gone upstairs too to clean up too. She changed out of her work clothes and into dark blue jeans, V-neck dark green t-shirt and walked bare feet around the house. She wiggle her toes, her newly painted dark red nail polish shining in the light.

Pulling her hair up into a messy ponytail, Octavia walked downstairs to go into the living room. She walked up to the flat screen and she looked down at the cabinet near the flat screen, opening it up to show a large collection of movies. There was one shelf where there was video games.

About twenty minutes later, Octavia was letting Rossi into the door and helping him carrying the familiar paper brown bags of Chinese food into the kitchen. She went back to lock the front door while calling for Annabelle that David and the food were here.

"What movie?" David asked as they began to pull out the cartons of Chinese food and begin to make their plates. Octavia making Annabelle for hers and handing the little one her plate.

" _Finding Nemo_!" Annabelle yelled from the living room.

"You heard the little one." Octavia said, hip bumping Rossi as he tilted his head back and let out a deep exhale.

Octavia grabbed bottles of water while Rossi carried his and her plate.

"Great, I get to listen to 'just keep swimming' over and over again." Rossi muttered making Octavia to tilt her head back and laugh as she walked before him into the living room.

Watching the well-known movie that children and adults liked, Octavia and Rossi were sitting on the couch while Annabelle sat on the floor with her plate before her on the coffee table. Even though it was a family movie, Octavia and Rossi watched this about five times with Annabelle. There was a day when Rossi sent her a text message saying that he was humming 'just keep swimming' underneath his breath one day at work to which the team found highly amusing.

Setting the nearly empty plate on the coffee table, Octavia lean back on the couch, pulling her legs up to the side and she felt Rossi wrap his left arm around her shoulder. She laid her head upon his shoulder as they continue to watch the movie.

When the movie was coming to an end, Octavia sat up straighter and looked in front of the coffee table to see Annabelle laying her head on a pillow and she was sleeping. Slowly, Octavia stood up and stretches her body while Rossi begin to silently clean up the plates. Octavia moved around the coffee table and before it to pick up Annabelle, holding her close as she groggily made a low sound and snuggling closer against Octavia. While trying to put Annabelle to bed, Octavia tried to get the five year old to let go of her, but struggle as Annabelle would not let go. It was like a koala bear clamping onto her.

Opening her arms up and pull them off her body, Octavia tucked Annabelle in. Laying a gentle kiss on top of her head, Octavia turn on the nightlight before walking out of the bedroom and leaving the door slightly cracked open.

Moving downstairs, she notice that Rossi mostly clean up the mess and took out the movie from the DVD player. Entering the kitchen, she saw that only the fortune cookies were out while Rossi must've packed the rest of the carton into the fridge.

"Who made these chocolate chip cookies?" Rossi asked as he bit into one.

"Annabelle and Alex. Annabelle wants to give them to the BAU team."

"So, I'm privilege to have one then." Rossi said as he continue to eat the cookie before grabbing another and making a motion for them to move into the living room.

"Which game?" Octavia asked as she set up the game console and switching the TV input to the gaming input.

"How about a racing game first." Rossi suggested as he dropped himself on the couch and watched Octavia walk back towards him with one of the wireless controllers.

"I'm beating you this time." Octavia said as she dropped down beside him while eyeing the flat screen that was loading the racing game.

Within minutes, they were trying to keep their voices down as they played. Octavia trying to mess him up by bumping into him whenever he got ahead. When Octavia finally got ahead of him, Rossi leaned over to blow air into her ear making her to try to burrow the side of her head into her shoulder for him not to do that. When Octavia won the first race, she jumped from the couch with her arms thrown in the air and she pretend to yell out, but obviously didn't as Annabelle was sleeping.

"Again." Rossi said making Octavia to look at him before dropping back down beside him and pulling her legs up.

Once again they were racing, messing around with each other again as they try to mess up one another gameplay. Once again, Octavia was wining again when Rossi lean back over again, but this time laid his lips against the side of her temple.

"No, no distraction."

"What are we, Octavia?" He whispered, wondering what they would label themselves as, especially gaining closeness with one another over the month, or rather, over a year.

"What do you think we are, David?" Octavia softly replied, turning her head to stare into his eyes while pausing the game.

"Definitely more than friends." Rossi pointed out.

"Yes, I agree. Though can you maintain a relationship?" Octavia voice lower as her eyes flicker away from his and down to his lips to back up to staring into his dark brown eyes.

"Yes for I have to admit that this feeling is new to me." Rossi admitted while leaning forwards to bump his nose against her own.

"Good thing?"

"Very good." Before Rossi took the role to lean forwards and pressed his lips against her own.

Holding the gaming console in her left hand, her right trailed up the side of jawline and stayed there as they continue to keep their lips together. The warmth spreading throughout their bodies upon this pleasurable feeling. One that they were both enjoying and felt addicted too.

Pulling away, they stared one another in the eyes before Octavia leaned forwards again, but pause herself to the point that her lips were almost brushing against his own.

"Don't be too distracted." Octavia purred before pulling away and hitting the pause button again for the game to resume.

"Hey!" Rossi exclaimed as he quickly look back to the screen and bumped shoulders with Octavia making her to glance at him with cunning green eyes.

"You'll pay for doing that."

"Be jealous at my winning skills." Octavia shot back with a grin, but laughed as Rossi stood up and stood before her, blocking the TV from her view with a smirk gracing his lips.

Tonight, they both felt like winners.

… **..**

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 **Hi Everyone,**

 **Here's another chapter!**

 **Disclaimer for this chapter:** **I don't own anything about the movies or video games that have been mentioned within the story. (Just a precaution).**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the story thus far.**

 **Thank You!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter:** Companionship

… **..**

… **.. Few Weeks Later: …..**

… **..**

Carrying Annabelle through the doctor office, Octavia had gave Annabelle a physical and she was now taking the five year old back to her office. Setting Annabelle down, the little one ran over to a corner of the office where Octavia had a small table set up and a small bookshelf where Annabelle's books and toys were located.

While Annabelle was coloring in one of her many coloring books, Octavia sat at the desk and flipped through files to make logs into her computer. She was typing while listen to Annabelle humming underneath her breath, but when she stopped, Octavia had stop typing to look over to Anabelle as she was curious on why Anabelle suddenly went quiet.

"Mommy."

"Yes?"

"Is David still working?"

"Yes. This case that the team and he are working in California trying to catch the bad guy." Octavia simply told Annabelle instead of telling her the truth.

The truth of the case being that the BAU team were trying to track down a killer that was killing couples that live near certain train tracks. It was taking them longer than usual as they were trying to track down which train this UNSUB would be riding on.

Octavia turn back to work on the logs once Annabelle started to hum underneath her breath again and showed that she had no more question to ask. It took about an hour and a half before Octavia finished with the log reports. She picked all the files up and stood up from her desk.

"Annabelle, are you hungry?"

"Yes." Annabelle set the crayons down before rushed toward Octavia, who stood near the office door.

Walking toward the staff room, Octavia stopped and allowed Annabelle to go in first. With the staff room near the front desk office room, Octavia set the files down on the counter so the secretaries could put into the file room. She walked back into the staff room where Missy and Bethany sat at the table and they listen to Annabelle talk facts about the ocean.

While Annabelle did that, Octavia went to the fridge where she put the sandwiches she made for Annabelle and her, earlier. Pulling out the container and two bottles of water, Octavia set it down on the table. She sat herself down beside Annabelle and watched as Annabelle opened up the container to grab a half slice of a sandwich.

"She really knows her ocean information." Bethany lowly said to Octavia.

"Yes, she loves anything about the ocean. One David's colleagues is a genius, so he always tells Annabelle new facts about the ocean whenever she comes around. He has eidetic memory, so he has a lot of information that he memorized." Octavia told them before she looked over at Annabelle, who was happily munching on her turkey and cheese sandwich.

"Marine biologist is what you want to be when you are older, Annabelle?" Missy asked.

"Yes." Annabelle nodded making her ponytail to bounce around then it stopped once she stop the movement of her head.

Octavia open up both water bottles and set one before Annabelle. Picking up her own bottle, Octavia took a long gulp out of her water bottle then set it back down to start eating her half of the sandwich. Her eyes would wonder over to Anabelle as a motherly instinct to make sure that Anabelle was fine.

"How many more patients do you have today, Octavia?"

"Well, I got two more, but they are spread out through the day." Octavia answered as she glanced at Bethany, who was the one to ask.

Finishing up lunch, Octavia had Annabelle walk alongside her. Annabelle had one of Octavia's spare stethoscope around her neck and she carried her own clipboard against her. She was pretending to be Octavia's assistant as they walked around the hallways. While Octavia went to check one of the patients, she made sure that one of the nurses, mostly Missy, watched over Annabelle.

Walking out of the patient's room, Octavia gently laughed when she saw across the hallway into another exam room, Annabelle trying to take Missy's blood pressure. Octavia took out her iPhone and took a picture of Annabelle. She sent it off to Rossi as he had texted her a minutes ago about her day.

… **..**

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On the jet, heading back home after catching the UNSUB, Rossi felt his phone going off making him to hit the button to open up the text message. Earlier, he had texted Octavia about how Annabelle and her day are going. Now, he received a message in reply and he chuckle at the photo Octavia sent.

It was a photo of Annabelle posing as a doctor with a stethoscope around her neck, but was using it as she was pretending to take Missy's blood pressure.

Hearing his chuckle, Hotch looked up from his spot across from Rossi. Rossi turned his phone to show Hotch the image. The corner of Hotch lips twitched up and the corner of his eyes too.

Rossi quickly texted back, but added on that Hotch actually smiled at the image. To which Octavia texted back a 'ha-ha' which caused Rossi to chuckle once more. He texted her back saying that they will be arriving back home in another hour before he set his cellphone aside.

"Hey, we are getting back around five. I have Jack for a few hours before I have to bring him back to Haley. Is Octavia working that long? Maybe take the kids out or something?"

"Octavia said she was getting out around four-thirty and she was talking about how Annabelle wanted to go bowling." Rossi told him made Hotch to nod.

"Yeah, that sounds good. I'll text Haley and inform her about the plan." Hotch said as he pulled out his own cellphone to text his ex about the plan when he gets back.

While Hotch did that Rossi texted Octavia about the plan.

… **..**

… **.. Few Hours Later: …..**

… **..**

It was loud and many lights flashed around.

Both Annabelle and Jack were bowling on an alley that had rails set up so the kids don't put the ball in the gutter all the time. While in another alleyway, it was Hotch, Rossi and Octavia going at it in their own close game.

"This one is going to be a strike." Rossi said as he held the large red bowling ball before him before he moved forward and pulled back his arm to throw it back forward.

Octavia shook her head and she looked around the bowling alley. Her eyes came to settle on the other end of the bowling alley to see a very familiar BAU team present. She saw that Reid was looking in their direction, but when he saw her making eye contact with him, Reid quickly ducked. His action made Octavia to know that they were being spy on.

"Argh." Rossi made a sound as he only left one pin up.

When Rossi turned back toward them, Octavia looked away from where she saw Reid to look at Rossi with a gentle smile. Though she must've had a hint of amusement present on her face as Rossi stepped closer to her with raised eyebrows.

"What happen?"

"Well, we got spies." Octavia softly said as she stood up because it was her turn to go next.

Before she moved to the rack to grab the bowling ball that she had been using this whole time, Octavia made a gesture with her head into the direction of where she saw the rest of the BAU team. Both Hotch and Rossi looked into that direction and both men eyebrows rose up their foreheads as they saw their BAU team.

From their spot, they saw Morgan bowling with the rest of the team behind him in their own seats. But they then saw JJ and Emily look in their direction, but quickly looked away. Hotch and Rossi look back at each other with raised eyebrows as they knew that the way that the team was reacting to them noticing them, it was obvious they were spying on them and were doing a poor job too.

"Mommy, mommy."

"Yes?" Octavia looked to the aisle where Jack and Annabelle were playing their own game, but now stood before her.

"Can we get pizza?" Annabelle asked as Jack stood beside her.

Octavia looked at Hotch for his approval for Jack to eat pizza. Hotch nodded in agreement.

"I'll get the pizza. I need to confront some agents." Hotch said to which Octavia nodded while Rossi turned back around to face Octavia and the children.

"I believe it is my turn." Octavia said as she walked up to the rack and she picked up a light teal blue bowling ball then stepped up toward the bowling aisle.

"Watch how it is done." Octavia glanced over her right shoulder to send a wink at Rossi. He sat back in the seat with his arms spread out across the top on either side of him and had a small smirk on his lips as he watched her set up to take her turn.

Both Jack and Annabelle sat down in the seats, taking a break from their game and they patiently waited for Hotch to come back with food and drinks.

Octavia slowly moved forward, winding back her right arm then she quickly whipped it forward with her right leg sliding up behind her left leg and then kicked it up along her back knee as she let go of the bowling ball.

The teal bowling ball seem to glide fast down the wood of the aisle and then crash right down the middle of the pins, sending them scattering everywhere.

"Strike!" Octavia fist pumped the air while spinning around on her heels, to stop in motion with a wide smile as she pointed at Rossi. He simply shook his head with a chuckle at how excited she got.

"Yeah, mommy!" Annabelle threw her arms in the air and kicked her legs in the air as her feet don't touch the ground yet.

When Octavia dropped herself down in the seat beside Rossi, he laid a peck on the side of her head. The little ones saw and had different reactions. While Jack made a face, Annabelle giggle and clasped her hands in front of her mouth to hide her smile.

Their attention turned away from Rossi and Octavia when Hotch walked over with food and drinks. Though they saw that the BAU team was trailing behind him and were carrying more food, Octavia smiled as each of them and saw that they had some form of guilty and amused expression on their faces for being caught spying.

"How about we get a new game going? I have been watching Octavia over here kick you two old man's butts." Morgan pointed out which caused both Hotch and Rossi to look at him with raised eyebrows.

"Old man? Who are you calling old?" Rossi said with his hands on his hips and he stepped closer to Morgan with narrowed eyes.

Immediately, Morgan placed his hands in the air in a surrendered motion and then took a step back as Hotch stepped toward him too.

"Well, let's get a new game going." Octavia said, crossed her arms over her chest and gave Morgan a smirk.

Within an hour, Octavia was high fiving the BAU team while Morgan was slouched in the chair as Octavia had beaten him by throwing two strikes in the row on two last shots. Octavia dropped down in a seat beside Morgan and patted him on the shoulder while he let out a loud sigh. The team stared in amusement as Morgan didn't like to lose in any sort of games.

"Who appears as the old man now?" Rossi patted Morgan on the shoulder.

Soon enough, they found themselves leaving the bowling alley around nine o'clock.

Rossi was driving Octavia's Audi as they headed back to her home. His eyes flicker to the rearview mirror where he saw Annabelle passed out sleeping in her kid's seat. He looked to the passenger seat to tell Octavia that Annabelle had passed out, but he shut his mouth when his eyes rested on Octavia passed out sleeping too. A small grin couldn't help but reach Rossi lips.

Pulling into Octavia's home driveway, Rossi reached over to Octavia and gently shook her awake. She turn her head to face him with her eyes halfway open, but Rossi could tell that her mind wasn't there, only tiredness.

"Follow me, dear." Rossi softly said as he got out of the car then he got Annabelle.

Carrying Annabelle and a hold Octavia's hand, Rossi walked up to the house. Locking and alarming the car behind before he unlocked the house. Rossi stepped in and stood in his spot as he watched Octavia sleepwalk herself over to the living room couch and face planted into it. A chuckle escaped him as he turned to the door, shut and locked the door up then he alarmed up the house.

Once he manage to wake Annabelle up to get herself into pajamas and brush her teeth, Rossi tucked her into bed. He then made his journey back downstairs where Octavia was. He helped her up from the couch and once she stood up, he wrapped his right arm around her waist to lead her over and up the stairs.

"Octavia are you functioning?"

"Mmm." She sounded as she slouched against him halfway up the stairs.

Quickly, Rossi picked her up bridal style and that caused her to snap awake when she felt her feet disappear out from underneath her.

"Rossi, I'm too heavy."

"I may be getting up in age, but my strength hasn't disappeared and you are not heavy." Rossi told her as he carried her up the rest of the stairs then he moved down the hallway to the last bedroom on the left where her master bedroom was.

Laid her down onto the king size bed, he stepped back to watch her lazily ripped off her boots and chucked them against the walk-in closet door. Rossi shook his head as he then watched her fall back onto her back with her arms spread out on either side of her.

"Octavia." Rossi gently said, reached forward and pulled her back up into an upright position.

"Noooo." She moaned as he kept her in an upright position.

"Just change out of your jeans and shirt. Then I can get back home."

"No."

"No?" Rossi eyebrows rose as he watched her drag herself to her dresser and ripped the top draw open to pull out a pair of shorts and tank top.

"Just stay. We are adults and been together for a while." Octavia glanced over her shoulder, gave him a half-lidded stare where he could see that she was serious.

"Alright. Let me get my go-bag from my vehicle." Rossi said as he left her in the bedroom, enough time for her to change out of her clothes and into pajamas.

When he came back into the house, locked and alarmed it back up, Rossi used the downstairs bathroom to freshen up. He changed into a pair of plaid pajama pants and a black t-shirt then walked back upstairs into Octavia's master bedroom.

Setting the to-go bag near the closet door, Rossi stared at Octavia slide herself underneath the blankets and thick comforter of her king size bed. She turned onto her stomach, but turn her head to stare at him.

"Dave."

"I'm right here." He replied as he slowly walked over to the bed as she patted her hand against it.

For a while now, their relationship was always close and was now more intimate, but this was the second time that they stayed over one another's house. She had slept over his place, but in the guest bedroom. Now, he was sleeping over her place and in her bed with her.

Sliding into the bed beside her, Octavia head turned to face him. He laid on his right side to stare at her, watching as her eyes fluttered as she tried to force herself to stay awake. Reached out with his left hand, he gently caressed the side of her face while he gently told her to 'sleep.' Once she passed out, Rossi continue to eye her and took in her features.

Pulling his hand away from the smoothness of her skin. Not a single wrinkle forming on her features and she appeared younger than her age. Being eleven and a half years younger than he was. Being with her, there was something different about her compared to other women in his life. They took things slow and learn about one another enough that they knew each other's quirks. She was something special.

Leaning forward, Rossi laid his lips against her forehead before he laid his head back on the pillow to get some sleep too.

… **..**

… **.. Next Morning: …..**

… **..**

Waking up, Octavia stretched across the bed and her eyes flutter open. Her right hand reached out to touch the side of the bed that smelled like Rossi. Seeing that the right side of the bed was unmade but unoccupied, Octavia slowly sat up and her eyes flicker to the master bathroom to see that it was unoccupied too.

Hearing clanking of pans downstairs then Annabelle talking, Octavia slid out of bed where she began to stretch. She then moved to the bathroom, freshen up and left the bathroom to make her way downstairs and headed to the kitchen.

There Octavia paused in the kitchen doorway, leaning against it with her arms crossed across her chest. A gentle look on her face as watched Rossi flip pancakes then plate them while Annabelle sat at the kitchen island on a stool swinging her feet and sipped her orange juice from a small glass.

"Good morning." Rossi greeted Octavia when he turn around with a pancake. He slid it onto a plate before sliding it over to Annabelle.

"Thank you."

"Welcome. Octavia, would you like a chocolate chip or banana pancake?"

"Banana, Chef Rossi." Octavia replied as she pulled a stool out from underneath the kitchen island and sat down beside Annabelle.

Octavia ran her left hand through Annabelle's long brunette hair and then lean forward to lay her lips against the side of her head. Turning her head to stare at Rossi cooking at the stove, a grin came upon her lips.

When Rossi turn to plate the banana pancake, he saw her eyeing him with a gentle smile.

"What?"

"Just happy." Octavia softly replied to which made Rossi to flash her a smile before plating the pancake and slid the plate over to her.

"What made you happy?" He playfully asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know." Octavia winked at him before she took the fork he lend over to her.

She cut into the banana pancake and lifted a piece to her lips, she let out a deep exhale from her nose at the taste popping around on her taste buds.

Octavia glanced at Annabelle as she was chewing on a piece too and she looked up at Octavia with a smile. The two looked away from one another to look up at Rossi as he made himself a pancake, but as if he felt their stares, he glanced back at the two females in his life that were becoming the most important people in his life.

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… **..**

 **Hi Everyone,**

 **Here's another chapter!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Thank You!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter:** A Family Drawing

… **..**

… **.. A Month Later: …..**

… **..**

"You keep looking at your cellphone."

"It's just…"

"You hate not being with the team."

"Yes."

Octavia smiled at the soon-to-be mother, JJ, who was waddling beside her. They were out doing last minute baby shopping to which JJ asked Octavia if she could join her.

"Understandable." Octavia replied.

"The last I heard is that they are in Las Vegas, but I heard that Reid, Morgan and Rossi are staying behind to help Reid with something personal." Octavia told JJ, picking up a package of diapers from the shelf.

Octavia knew that as a new mother, you could never have too many diapers or formula. Turning to face JJ, Octavia gave her a smile before letting JJ push the shopping cart to keep her stable in her walking.

"Well, hopefully they are back in time." JJ said as she grab hold of her stomach and made a face causing Octavia to look at her with concern.

"You okay?"

"He has been kicking harder than usual."

"Not to scare you or anything, but you might be due any time now. With the way he has been active, get ready." Octavia pointed out.

"Well, luckily I got a doctor with me."

"Yes, that is your advantage. But please don't go into labor in the middle of the store or in my car." Octavia said making JJ to laugh while going back to pushing the cart.

Once Octavia got JJ back home, Octavia found Will packing away the newly bought diapers and clothes. Sensing her presence, Will turn around to look at her standing in the doorway.

"Is something wrong, Octavia?" Will asked in his deep southern accent.

"Your son's activity is getting more intense. I assume that JJ will be having the baby any time now."

"Not any day?" Will said with a flash of concern, but mostly fear at the thought of the baby coming any day now.

"No, any time now. Will, are you alright?"

"I'm nervous to be a father. Do I suppose to feel like this?" Will asked as he slowly sat himself down in a rocking chair in the nursery.

Octavia nodded at him with a gentle reassuring smile.

"Yes, it is understandable to feel this way. You are going to be a father for the first time. The first time is always the most nerve wrecking, but it will become better when you hold your child in your arms. Trust me when I say that." Octavia softly told him.

"Thank you." Will said.

"Any time. Now, I need to get home to my little one. She has been asking for me to help her with her homework." Octavia said making Will to nod before leading her out of the bedroom.

In the foyer, JJ appeared with a bowl of ice cream. Both Will and Octavia laughed at the sight of a lot of ice cream scoops in the bowl. JJ gave them a shrug of her shoulders.

Octavia walked to the front door, but turn around to look at JJ and Will standing side by side.

"Just be cautious. You'll be fine. Call me if you need anything." Octavia smiled before opening the door to leave the place.

Her iPhone made the familiar text message sound making her to see a message from Rossi. She open the message to see that he was telling her that they'll most likely were going to be home by tomorrow or the day after. She replied to him that she was just heading back home after shopping with JJ, but she also told him that JJ was due anytime now.

Setting the phone in the cup holder, Octavia begin to make her journey home. When she got back, she enter the house and thanked Alex for watching over Anabelle.

"You know, Octavia, Annabelle is advance for her age." Alex said as Octavia walked her to the front door.

"How so?"

"Well, I was helping her with some of her reading homework and she read through the sentences with no hesitation. Then she was writing down sentences and once again, no problem. Even her handwriting seems to becoming better and better." Alex explained.

"I will check in with her teacher. Thank you, Alex. Drive back safely."

"Welcome." Alex smiled then left the house.

Octavia locked up and alarmed the house then went upstairs to go into Annabelle's bedroom. On entering, Octavia smile upon seeing Annabelle sitting on her beanbag chair reading a fictional book of the ocean.

"Homework all done?"

"Yep." Annabelle smiled.

"How was school today?"

"Good. I drew a picture today." Annabelle said as she folded the corner of the book page, shutting the book and set it aside.

Octavia watched Annabelle go up to her desk that was against the window. Annabelle grabbed something from the top then skipped over to Octavia and held out a large piece of thick paper. Smiling at Annabelle, Octavia looked down at the drawing.

The drawing had many figures drawn on it. Kneeling down beside Annabelle, who began to point out each of the figures.

"That's Uncle Hotch, Derek and Spencer. Then Aunt JJ, Emily, and Garcia. Then David, you and me." Annabelle said as she pointed each of them out.

Taking in the drawing, Octavia realized that Annabelle saw the BAU team as her family. Octavia saw that the figures that represented David and her, those figures were holding either of Annabelle's hands. This was a drawing of a family portrait.

"Let's put this in a picture frame. Do you want to hang it in here or downstairs?"

"Downstairs so that everyone can see it." Annabelle said.

Octavia reached out with her right hand to gently rest on Annabelle's cheek. Octavia lean forward to lay a kiss against her forehead then stood back up.

"I'll pick up the picture frame tomorrow for this. Now, let's get washed up for bed."

"Can I read my book in bed?"

"Yes, you may." Octavia said, holding the drawing in her left hand while leading Annabelle to the bathroom across from her bedroom.

Octavia went downstairs to put the drawing on the table that was in the hallway of the foyer where she could remember to grab it when she left tomorrow morning to drop Annabelle off at school. Octavia went into the kitchen to grab herself a cookie to snack on before going back upstairs to wait for Annabelle to finish up in the bathroom.

About fifteen minutes later, Annabelle came out of the bathroom and Octavia tucked her in bed. Octavia handed Annabelle the book that she was reading earlier and laid her lips against her forehead.

"Don't stay up too late."

"I won't, mommy. I will most likely fall asleep reading this book as it will tire out my eyes."

"You know, I think that you are hanging around Uncle Spencer way too much." Octavia lowly mumbled making Annabelle to giggle as the little one knows how Reid was the genius of the BAU team.

Going to her bedroom, Octavia showered then changed into her pajamas then brushed her teeth.

Octavia got into her bed before grabbing her cell phone off the nightstand to text Rossi about going to bed now since he was three hours behind in time.

Getting a quick reply back from Rossi telling Octavia that they were coming close to finalizing their helping hand with Reid. That they will most likely be back by tomorrow.

Octavia set the phone aside, curled up underneath the sheets. Shutting her eyes, she thought about home on the island, listening to the waves against the shoreline at night until she fell asleep.

… **..**

… **.. Around 2 AM: …..**

… **..**

With a drowsily Annabelle in her kid's seat, Octavia was slowly driving to the hospital. She had got the call about ten minutes ago from a frantic Will about JJ going into labor. Octavia counsel him on what to do then let him do what she told him. Now Octavia was driving to the hospital.

Pulling into the visitor's parking lot, she got Annabelle from the backseat and carried her inside. Being led by a nurse to the maternity department, Octavia found herself standing with most of the BAU team sitting around, expect Reid, Rossi and Morgan.

"How is she?" Octavia asked as she gently sat a sleepy Annabelle in a chair next to Garcia, who smiled down at the little one.

"Last we heard, she was five centimeters dilated." Hotch told her as he was standing with his arms crossed over his chest and not looking tire at all. The usual stoic expression was on his face even when he wasn't working.

"Halfway through." Octavia said as she sat herself down on the other side of a sleeping Annabelle.

The team sat around, flipping through magazines or talking about random topics. They were continue to sit, trying to stay awake but occasionally one of them would nod off then snap awake a few minutes later.

An hour in, Will came out into the waiting room to see the team half-awake, but they instantly perked up at his presence.

"How much is she dilated?" Octavia quickly asked before anyone could get a word out.

"About seven."

"She is dilating fast. That is a good sign." Octavia said, trying not to move too much as Annabelle slept against her shoulder.

"The doctor said that she might be giving birth in two hours with the way she is dilating so quickly." Will told them making them all to smile in excitement as they couldn't wait to the see the newborn.

Once Will told them the news, he disappear behind the double doors.

"I'm sleeping." Emily blurted out as she slouched in her seat and dropped her head back against the wall with her eyes closed.

Octavia could not help but agree with Emily about sleeping because it will be a bit longer until JJ finally gave birth. Octavia gently laid her head back against the wall where she felt exhaustion shut down her body into a deep sleep.

… **..**

Octavia was shaken awake by Hotch.

"What happen?"

"JJ had the baby. It's a boy." Hotch softly said.

"She did." Octavia was instantly fully awake.

Octavia looked at her iPhone to see that it was around six in the morning. She slowly stood up with Hotch holding his left hand out just in case she lost her balance at standing up too quickly. He dropped his hand when Octavia stretched her body out then she turn around to face Annabelle.

Picking up Annabelle, Hotch led Octavia with the team down the hallway and into the room where JJ sat up in bed. A tire smile on her lips as she held a blue blanket bundle in her arms.

"What's his name?"

"Henry." JJ softly said as she pulled the blanket away to show the cute face of a baby, who was making faces and manage to pull one of his hands free, shaking it in the air.

"Oh he is precious." Garcia whispered with tears coming into her eyes.

"Belle, look." Octavia softly said as she held the five year old up higher to show her the newborn baby.

"You were right, Octavia. It was any time now." Will said, running his right hand through his hair.

"He must've heard me saying that he was coming." Octavia jokily said making them all to let out some sort of chuckle.

When it was getting close to seven, Octavia went back home to get Annabelle ready for school. She let Anabelle sleep for a bit longer then carried her out of the house to the car.

"Annabelle, are you sure that you want to go to school? You don't have too. You were awake at an awkward hour." Octavia softly said when she pulled up to Annabelle's school.

"I am good, mommy. I will call if I am tire."

Octavia nodded as they got out of the car. Octavia walked Annabelle up to the front door of the school. Elementary children running all around them as they stood before the doors.

"You are growing up too fast." Octavia softly whispered as she stared down into her daughter's eyes that remind Octavia of her late husband eyes.

Leaning down, Octavia kissed the top of Anabelle head before stepping back to allow Annabelle to run inside, waving to her friends. Octavia smiled then turn away to go back to her car. Getting inside, she drove back home where she saw Rossi's vehicle in the driveway.

Getting inside her home, Octavia heard someone lowly singing in the kitchen. Slowly making her way into the kitchen, she bit her tongue to not laugh when she saw Rossi doing a mixture of dancing and singing as he cooked breakfast.

When he turned, he paused to see her standing there. Octavia just raised her hand up into the air and slowly clapped her hands while Rossi made a face at her. He plated the bacon then set the pan back on top of the stove. He moved to the fridge to pull out a container that contained various fruits.

"What's this? Greasy yet healthy food." Octavia pointed out.

Rossi took out two plates and put a few strips of bacon on either plate before putting the container of fruit between them.

"Gotta' keep it balance, doctor." Rossi winked.

Octavia sat down beside him where they ate breakfast together.

"Did you go to visit JJ?"

"Yeah, we stopped by. Cute baby." Rossi replied.

"Yes, he is."

"It also seem like you were right about her having him any time now."

"It was bound to happen. Baby Henry was kicking a lot then usual to the point that JJ was becoming more and more uncomfortable. Plus, it was just an instinct." Octavia told him as she picked up a slice of watermelon.

"How was Annabelle and you over the past week and a half without me around? Anything new?"

The thought of what Alex said last night then the drawing that Annabelle drew, Octavia nodded while finishing off the watermelon before standing up from the stool. She walked down the foyer hallway to grab the drawing before walking back into the kitchen.

"Alex had informed me last night that Annabelle is showing signs of being advanced for her age. And she does. I notice how much Annabelle absorb information. I told her that she must be hanging around Reid too much."

Rossi chuckle at that last part of the comment.

"Also, she made this. I need to go out and buy a picture frame for it." Octavia told him, holding out the drawing.

Cleaning his hand off on a napkin, he took the drawing from her and held it out in front of the two of them.

"It's the team. Then there is us holding her hands." Octavia pointed out.

"She sees us as a family." Rossi said as he stared at the figures that represented Octavia, Annabelle and him.

It's nice to see that Annabelle saw the BAU team as a family. The fact that Annabelle saw Octavia, him and her like their own family made Rossi to understand that Annabelle was starting to see him as a constant important individual in her life. That she might be seeing him as a father figure.

"Yes. That was what I thought of last night." Octavia told him.

"This is pretty good for a five year old." Rossi said, tilting his head to the side as he took in the drawing.

"You can tell who each are."

"Yeah. Look at Reid. Skinny, tall and holding what appear to be books in his hands." Rossi pointed out.

Octavia playfully elbow him in the side as he chuckle, glancing at her to see her shaking her head.

"You guys mess with him too much." Octavia smiled as she began to clean up their plates.

"I like Hotch face on here. Serious."

"Well, when do you ever see the man smile." Octavia mumbled as she clean the plates off to put into the dishwasher.

When Octavia shut the dishwasher, she heard Rossi get up from his seat and the sound of the paper rustling. Soon, arms wrapped around her from behind and Rossi rested his chin on her left shoulder.

"Shall we go buy a picture frame?" Rossi asked as he turn his head to nuzzle his face into the side of her neck.

"Yes. Let's go buy one and hang it up before Belle comes home." Octavia agreed.

… **..**

When Annabelle ran into the living room with Rossi and Octavia trailing behind, they stood in the doorway to watch Annabelle stare at the wall where a new picture frame was hanging.

Both Rossi and Octavia smile as Annabelle jumped up and down in excitement at her drawing on the wall.

"I think that she likes that it was hung up with the rest of the photos of family and friends." Rossi amusedly said.

"Yes, I think so too." Octavia agreed.

Soon Annabelle was running over to them. She tried to wrap her arms around both Rossi and Octavia body, but ended up just hugging their legs. But it was enough for the two adults. They glance at one another with smiles on their faces upon the happiness that Annabelle was radiating.

… **..**

… **..**

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… **..**

 **Hi everyone,**

 **Hope everyone is enjoying the story thus far.**

 **Thanks for the reviews thus far. I appreciate all the reviews that have been posted.**

 **Thank You!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter:** Experiencing a Feeling

… **..**

… **.. A Month Later; Morning: …..**

… **..**

"Gotta' love a good sale."

"You brought three pairs of shoes."

Octavia turn to face Rossi as he offer to carry her shopping bags.

"I can't help it."

"Also, why not let me pay for something."

"Nope."

"You are stubborn."

"So are you. You know that I hate taking people's money." Octavia pointed out as they walked through the mall, dodging oncoming shoppers.

"I noticed." Rossi mumbled.

They continue to walk through the mall until they finally got outside to her car that was parked close to the front of the mall.

Octavia tried to get into the driver's seat, but Rossi wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off her feet.

"Why don't you let me drive? It's my car."

"Nope. You wouldn't let me buy anything for you. Here's your punishment." Rossi said as he set her down to open the passenger door for her.

Octavia stuck her tongue out at him as he walked back around the car while eyeing her with a smirk. He winked at her before they both got into the car and buckle up.

Octavia rested her left arm upon the center console and stared at him as he began to pull out of the parking lot. He tried to ignore her staring, but he could literally feel her dark green eyes drilling in him.

"Octavia."

"Yes, David?" Octavia innocently replied trying not to laugh as she knew that her staring was making him uncomfortable.

They came to a red light on the road making Rossi to finally look at her with soften eyes. She bit her tongue to contain her laughter, but let out a low chuckle causing him to chuckle too as he watched her struggle to not laugh.

Leaning towards her, he laid his lips against hers. He went to reach up to bury his right hand into her long wavy hair when they heard honking behind them.

"GREEN LIGHT!"

That made the two to pull a part, snickering.

Arriving back home, Octavia was placing the newly pair of shoes in her walk in closet with her new clothes too. All the things she needed to do jumble up in her mind. Picking up Anabelle, dropping Anabelle off at jiu jitsu classes then coming home to cook dinner.

Walking out of the closet, Octavia jumped as she saw Rossi sitting on the edge of her bed.

"Jumpy?" Rossi pointed out as he eyed her slowly making her way to him.

"I was just in a state of mind of what I supposed to do today." Octavia told him as she stepped closer to stand between his legs.

"I guess so." Rossi replied, resting his hands on her hips with her hands came to rest upon his shoulders.

"I feel as if I have something to do right now, but I don't have to pick up Annabelle in another seven hours and then she got jiu jitsu classes."

"Having an off day always makes you feel as if you have something to do. Being so used to working a lot, we find ourselves trying to fill in those times on our days off." Rossi told her as his hands slid around to her lower back.

The way that they were holding each other, the feelings flowing throughout either of their bodies, Octavia felt that this was leading to a huge step.

They have been together for almost a year now, but have known one another for about a year and seven months. They have been taking the relationship slow. Surprisingly, not taking the huge intimate step yet.

"Don't you have to go to this lecture tomorrow with Reid?"

"Yep. I cannot wait for that." Rossi dryly said.

Octavia grin while running her hands through his thick dark locks.

"Oh, it will be perfectly fine. Reid with his genius rambling and you with your witty, charismatic charm."

"And what about my genius ways?" Rossi asked with raised eyebrows.

His arms unwrapped from her waist. She felt his hands hovering over her behind before he laid his hands against the back of her defined thighs.

"Oh, you're a genius? Since when?" Octavia tapped her chin with her right pointer finger making a low humming sound.

"Woman, you had also called me witty?"

"Who are you calling woman?" Octavia reached out to poke him on the forehead, but let out a scream as he stood up while lifting her up, pivoting on his feet and dropped her on top of her king size bed.

"Octavia." He softly said, staring down at her as he placed his hands on either side of her head giving her a gentle smile before leaning down to lay his lips on her own.

Soon, he began trailing his lips down her jawline to her neck then back up to peck her lips again. Slightly pulling back, Rossi stared into her eyes. There were a mixture of curiosity and concern appearing in his eyes.

Octavia open her eyes, not realizing that she had shut them because of the pleasant sensation that flowed throughout her body from his kisses. The sensation was one that she hasn't experienced for a long time. The last time was with her late husband. Such sensation felt foreign, but at the same time new, as she experienced something completely different with David.

"I will not continue if you do not want to." Rossi gently whispered into her right ear.

Her eyes searched his when he had came back up to stare into her eyes. Slowly, Octavia ran her right hand down the side of his neck, dropping downward to the button up shirt. She caressed the buttons, but plucked one open. Her eyes continue to stare into his. She brushed her lips against his.

"I wish to. I have not felt this in so long." Placing her hands against his chest.

Octavia lean up to press her body against his own. He slowly lower his body down onto her.

"I'll remind you."

"Do so." Octavia fired back making him to chuckle against her lips then pressing his lips solidly against her own.

… **..**

… **.. Couple Hours Later: …..**

… **..**

It had been a toe-curling. One that warmed up every nerve in their bodies'.

Clothes were scattered around the floor, the comforter pushed at the end of the bed and the thin blankets tangled around two naked bodies that were wrapped around one another like boa constrictors.

The feel of warm lips pressed on the forehead caused Octavia to awake. Her eyes made contact with warm brown ones. A large, warm hand was on her hip and the thumb slowly moving around in a circular motion. Leaning forwards, Octavia laid her lips against David's making him to smile against her lips.

"How are you?"

"If I say cloud nine…?" Octavia slowly told him.

"Then I would agree with you." He replied.

His right hand caressing up and down her back. He stare down at her body lying halfway on top of him.

The imitate escapade a couple hours ago went through both their minds, but for Rossi, he could finally say that he didn't just jump right into a relationship. Instead, it almost took a year to come to this moment. And for that, he felt that it was a perfect moment. The feeling for Octavia was strong, but he felt it became stronger than ever. Never before had he had such a feeling for a woman. Then again, his first wife was a very important woman in his life and they still talk as if they were good friends. But now, with Octavia by his side, he knew at this moment that he could not mess this up or let her go.

Octavia mind process, she felt as if this relationship was a powerful bond that appeared to be unbreakable now. The last time that she was so into another was her late husband, Tristan. Octavia could honestly believe that she was in love with David Rossi, but was hesitant on telling him.

"Do you know how beautiful you are?"

"I think that I got the idea." Octavia whispered as her right hand slid down his chest, but stopped to feel his heart beating underneath the palm of her hand.

Rossi raised up his left hand up to rest on top of her hand on his chest.

"I'm setting an alarm on my cellphone because we both know that we are both going to pass out sleeping." Octavia slid more over him to reach to the nightstand where Rossi and her cellphone were resting.

"Most definitely." Rossi agreed as Octavia set the cellphone alarm on then laid halfway back on him.

Wrapping the blankets around each other and tangling their limbs back around each other, they kept each other warm. The two shut their eyes to get a couple more hours of rest to regain their energy.

… **..**

… **.. Next Day: …..**

… **..**

Octavia dropped the clipboard with a patient's information off at the desk for the receptionists to file away.

"Dr. Draco. You got a visitor."

Octavia walked to the door that open up to the waiting room. Seeing JJ with baby Henry, Octavia smiled and allowed them in.

Before walking down the hallway to lead JJ to the office, Octavia bent over to stare into the baby seat where Henry was waking up and staring around with wide eyes. Since JJ was on maternity leave, Octavia and JJ have started to build a close friendship.

"Hi there sweetie." Octavia softly said with a gentle smile.

Standing straight back up, Octavia lead JJ down the hallway.

Walking alongside JJ, Octavia stopped at the staffroom to wash her hands before continuing to lead JJ to her office. Once inside Octavia's office, JJ let Octavia hold Henry, who was waving his tiny fists around.

"How has everything been going?" Octavia asked as she caressed Henry's chubby cheeks while looking over at JJ, who sat herself down with a loud sigh.

"Ha, I see." Octavia said making JJ to laugh and nod her head.

"Will and I have been splitting time. But overall, Henry has been a good baby. But it has been restless."

"Restless because this is new or because you want to get back to work?" Octavia asked as she looked away from Henry face to look at JJ with a tilt of her head.

"Both." JJ told her, reaching out to gently caress Henry face, smiling as Henry made gurgling sound and stuck his tongue out.

"Do you still want to do those jiu jitsu classes with me?"

"Yeah. Not only will it help me get back into shape, but I'll learn how to kick ass when I'm back to work." JJ answered her making Octavia to nod.

"So, how have Rossi and you been doing?" JJ asked, holding her arms out as Octavia handed baby Henry over to her.

"Good. We have been doing well." Octavia looked down at her lap, smiling as she looked back up at JJ, who was giving her a smirk.

"That is good. The team finds that you two are a very cute couple."

"I'm happy for you guys approval." Octavia replied as she twisted a silver ring around her right ring finger.

"Did Rossi give you that?"

"No. This was a promise ring that my late husband, Tristan gave to me when it was our first year on going out anniversary. A promise to always be with me even when he wasn't there. I have a piece of his love for me with me." Octavia softly told JJ, who got a small grin on her lips and a hint of sympathy passed through her eyes.

"He sounded like a very loving man."

"Oh, he was. He was the type of man that would put anyone else before himself. He loved having fun and always making people smile. I guess you can say that he had a good sense of humor too." Octavia told her, her eyes softening as she reminisce about Tristan.

All the while, JJ couldn't help but smile at the sight of a woman that once had a true love in her life. Now, with Rossi, JJ hope that Octavia and Rossi felt the same way about one another the way that Octavia felt for Tristan.

"Do you feel as if you'll feel the same way with Rossi?"

"I see it there."

"But…" JJ slowly dragged out.

"I guess that I'm waiting for a sign that David does something that made me fall in love with Tristan. I know that I shouldn't be comparing or anything, but Tristan and David are definitely different from one another, but same in some aspects."

"I understand. Tristan was your first true love and his ways are still stuck with you. Therefore, what you loved about him, you use it as a framework to find another that is like him." JJ said as Octavia slowly nodded.

"I guess you can say that I'm waiting for that moment when I know that David is the right one. What made me know that Tristan was the one was how he treated others. He volunteered for anything and did charities whenever he could. When I married him, I always asked myself how did I get so lucky to have such a man because he is the type that I don't see all the time. He was everything that I dreamed of." Octavia told JJ.

Octavia felt tears slightly build up into her eyes for a brief moment. She took in a deep inhale then exhaled.

"He sounded like an amazing man."

"Oh, he was. Now, David shows all of that too, but not as much as Tristan did. That is fine and all. I sort of like new things. But like I said, there something more to come that has to make me feel smitten." Octavia explained, playing with the promise ring and glancing away from it to stare at JJ.

"You know, there's a quote that reminded me of Tristan so much. Something that I kept to myself and asked myself the other day if this relates to David too or others. A quote by J.K. Rowling, who quoted ' _If you want to see the true measure of a man, watch how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.'_ And that was Tristan. He didn't ignore anyone or treat them any different. He was equal to all aspects. David, well, I'm starting to see that too with him. And maybe that is the final spark for me to be smitten. To see him do one more thing, something that makes me know how damn lucky I am to have that second chance of feeling a blissful experience." Octavia explained.

"That quote...Just now I thought of Will. I'm seeing what you mean about experiencing that feeling that you know that they will be the one that will never leave your side. That you are the diamond in their eyes. I feel that with Will and I believe that Rossi and you will soon enough be unbreakable." JJ explained to her making Octavia to lean forward and held out her right hand.

JJ reached out and grabbed Octavia's hand, both giving each other reassuring grins upon this conversation. A conversation that they both can relate when it came to their feelings toward their boyfriends.

… **..**

Five minutes after JJ and baby Henry left, Octavia office phone began to ring.

"Hello, Dr. Draco."

" _Hey beautiful. So, we happen to get a case in the middle of lecture."_

"In the middle of lect—wait are Reid and you okay? Is anything wrong? Are you two safe?" Octavia rapidly asked.

" _We are safe. The man is in custody. He given himself up after Reid and I gave our recruiting lecture. We are trying to locate his latest victims that he has hidden locked up somewhere. So, I'm calling to inform you that you will most likely not see me this evening."_

"Oh, okay. Like I always tell you and the team, be safe. Don't do anything reckless, Rossi, or so help me I will come find you and kick your ass." Octavia strongly told him.

A chuckle escaped from him.

" _I will be safe, my Bella. Hug Annabelle for me."_

"Will do. See you later, Dave."

" _See you later, Octavia."_

… **..**

… **..**

… **..**

"How has Octavia and you been?"

Rossi turn away from looking at the two-way mirror where the UNSUB was sitting in the interrogation room to see Morgan standing behind him. Slipping his cellphone into his coat pocket, Rossi glance one last time at the UNSUB before leading Morgan out of the observation room.

"We have been doing well."

"Do I sense wife number four?" Morgan asked with raised eyebrows.

"Don't get ahead of yourself. We are taking it slow. Plus, I know that Octavia will tell me no because her late husband Tristan hadn't propose to her until three and a half almost four years later." Rossi assured Morgan.

"How deep is your relationship getting?" Morgan asked.

Tucking his thumbs in his jean pockets, Rossi looked around. He slid his tongue over the front row of his teeth before opening his mouth to reply.

"Deep like the deepest part of the ocean."

"That's very deep, Rossi." Morgan whistled.

"I know, but I'm not complaining." Rossi nodded while looking over Morgan's left shoulder to see Hotch coming towards them.

Turning away from Rossi, Morgan saw Hotch coming towards them with his usual business stoic expression. Hotch only nodded for them to follow to which they did. They found themselves going back to the interrogation room, where Rossi will get to work on getting information out of the UNSUB in order to save lives.

… **..**

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… **..**

 **Hi Everyone,**

 **Here's another chapter!**

 **Please leave reviews behind for future chapters!**

 **Thank you!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter:** Thanksgiving Dinner

… **..**

… **.. Few Days Later: …..**

… **..**

There was music playing from the basement of the house and chains rattling making Rossi to slowly walk down into the basement. There he stood on the stairs, watching Octavia dressed in black spandex shorts, black sports bra, her hands wrapped up in black tape and her hair pulled up into a ponytail.

A spin kick to the punching bag caused it to sway back by the strong force of her kick. The chain rattling and kept rattling as she began to lay quick jabs to the punching bag now. Air releasing from her mouth every time she landed punches across the punching bag.

Rossi couldn't help but wince when she laid another strong kick against the bag before hugging the punching bag to stop it from swaying.

Her eyes flicker over to Rossi where she gave him a small smile.

"Want to join me? Maybe be my submission partner?"

"Only if you don't kick my ass and we are holding each other close." Rossi walked down the rest of the stairs and over to her.

"Trust me, we will be close, but not in a pleasurable way." Octavia pulled away from the punching bag to step up to him.

She rested her taped up hands against his chest. His hands came around to rest on her lower back.

"Submission holds? I'm not one to submit." Rossi informed her.

Octavia gently laugh as she lean against him. She stood up onto her tippy toes to peck his lips. He kissed back then pulled back to stare down into her eyes.

"I can make you." Octavia pulled back.

When Octavia grabbed one of his arms and slowly crouch, Rossi quickly notice what she was thinking about doing.

"Don't even." Rossi pointed at her with his free hand, trying to pull away but he couldn't move his arm.

"Octavia."

"David."

Tugging her forward, Octavia wrapped her right leg around his left. She pretended that she was going to get him off balance making him to wrap his free arm around her waist. She let go of his other arm making him to wrap his other arm around her then gave her a small push back. He bent down to throw her over his left shoulder causing a small scream to escape from her, especially when he began to walk up the stairs.

"David, David, this is terrifying! You better not drop me." Octavia exclaimed as he slowly walked up the stairs and back onto the main floor of her home.

Walking into the kitchen, he set her down making her to grab the kitchen island as she felt slightly unbalance for being upside down for that short journey. Her eyes came back into focus where she watched David go to the fridge to grab bottles of water. Tossing her one, Octavia held it close while watching him walk back over to her.

"My parents email me about Thanksgiving."

"Do they want you to go home?"

"No. They want to come down here." Octavia told him making him to pause in taking another gulp from the water. He slowly set the bottle back down and rested his hands on the kitchen island as he stared at her.

"Meet your parents?"

"They'll like you."

"How do you know that?" Rossi pointed out, watching her set her bottle of water down and she made her way over to him, stopping to stand on his right side.

"Because I always talk to my parents either through messaging on the phone, talking or mostly emails. I told them about you, how you are around Annabelle and I, and it seem like they very much want to meet you. My father might come off as the hard ass, but that's him being protective over his little girl." Octavia winked up at him.

"And your mother?"

"Charming, loves to cook, and always smiling." Octavia answered him, setting her left hand upon his right bicep.

"Do they know what I do?"

"David, if I told you that I told them everything about you, they know. They are happy that I found someone that has their head on their shoulders." Octavia assured him, pressing the front of her body closer against his.

He moved his arm out of the way so that her body pressed against his side. He wrapped his right arm around her waist and leaned down to lay a kiss on the top of her head, pulling back to give her a soften look.

"As long as you are happy with me, that's all that matters." Rossi told her.

"Don't worry, I am." Octavia smiled, accepting a kiss on her lips.

"Mommy. David."

They pulled apart to see Annabelle entering the kitchen, holding a small yellow blanket in the bent part of her elbow of her right arm. Her left hand in a fist, rubbing the sleepiness from her eyes. She had been taking a nap for the past half an hour.

"Hey, Belle, do you want something to eat now? I can make you a grilled cheese sandwich."

The five year old only nodded as she was still groggy from just waking up from a nap. Octavia pulled from David to move over to the fridge to get the cheese out from one of the cabinets in the fridge. David move to another cabinet where he pulled out wheat bread and held it out as Octavia walked by him, grabbing it from him with a wink.

"David, do you want one?" Octavia asked.

"Sure." Rossi walked over to the dining room where Annabelle had gone into and sat down in her usual spot.

Before cooking, Octavia ran upstairs to get a shirt and take off the black tape from her hands then jogged back down the stairs.

"Annabelle, do you want anything to drink?" Rossi asked the little one.

"A juice box please."

Rossi walked back into the kitchen where Octavia stood at the stove with a pan making the grilled cheese. She only glanced over her left shoulder to see Rossi grabbing a juice box from the fridge and his bottle of water off the island then walked back into the dining room.

Once Octavia made a few grilled cheese sandwiches, she grabbed a stack of smaller plates and walked into the dining room, setting the plate of grilled cheese on the table. She placed the small plates before each of them and sat herself down.

"So, belle, tell me how school was today?"

"We made picture booklets today about what we want to be when we grow up. I made pictures of me as a marine biologist." Annabelle explained, taking a bite out of the sandwich.

"I can't wait to see it." Octavia softly replied, reaching out to gently run her hand through Annabelle's long wavy hair. She pulled her hand back to pick up her own sandwich to take a bite.

"Are you going to be cooking the turkey and everything?" Rossi asked Octavia, referring to Thanksgiving that was in a few days.

"The turkey, but my mother and father usually come a day before to help prep up. My mother would most likely help out with most of the plates." Octavia answered once she had finished chewing the piece of grilled cheese in her mouth.

"I can help."

"If you want to." Octavia stared at him, looking away, but she glanced at him again as she got that feeling that his job might get in the way.

"I will do so. Show off my cooking skills to your parents to show that I can take care of Annabelle and you." Rossi said, winking at them causing Annabelle to giggle and Octavia to snort in amusement that earned her a playful glare from him.

… **..**

… **.. Thanksgiving Day: …..**

… **..**

The feeling that Octavia had a few days ago about Rossi getting a case on Thanksgiving, she was right. He got a call yesterday morning about a case where the UNSUB was picking up women and killing them. He only got to meet her parents for a short period of time, but it was enough for her parents to accept him.

"Does this happen all the time, honey?"

Turning around from pouring juice over the turkey, Octavia stared at her mother, Arla Enzo. Arla Enzo was a woman with long waist length dark brown hair with greys going through. She was slender in structure, light tan skin, and hazel green eyes. She may be in her mid-sixties, but she was still the most active woman that Octavia has ever known.

"Yes and no, it doesn't bother me as much. It is his job just as a doctor is my job. I can get called any time." Octavia answered her mother, turning her focus back on the finished turkey.

"I know, I know."

"I mean look back at Tristan when he had joined the Marines. One of his tours was two years long." Octavia pointed out, glancing to her right at her mother.

Arla stepped up beside Octavia to open up the pot where the homemade mashed potatoes were.

"That's true." Arla said as she began to scoop the mashed potatoes out of the pot to put into a dish bowl to be carried into the dining room.

"Is dad still in the living room trying to explain football to Annabelle?" Octavia asked.

"Yes. The little one just seems to nod her head to make him happy that he is teaching someone." Arla said causing Octavia to laugh.

Octavia turn back to stare at the turkey then pulled it out of the pan with a fork and set it onto the cutting board.

"Dad!"

"Yeah?"

"Can you come carve the turkey?"

Hearing the sound of footfalls coming towards the kitchen, Octavia turn to see her father strong board frame enter through the doorway with Annabelle trailing behind him with a skip in her steps.

"Mommy, papa was teaching me football."

"I heard." Octavia smiled, handing her father a sharpen chef's knife to carve the turkey.

Leonardo Enzo, mid-sixties, stood six foot two with a body still fit like a bear. Broad shoulders and light olive color skin. Green eyes that stuck out against his dark color hair that was peppered with greys. He walked with long, strong strides and had a serious expression that could give Hotchner a run for his money. But when he smiled, Leonardo face instantly soften.

"Do you have a plate for this?" Leonardo baritone deep voice echo throughout the kitchen.

Octavia grabbed the large plate off the kitchen island to set it down beside the cutting board where her father began to place slices of turkey on it. Annabelle was now following her grandmother around, helping her set up the dining room table for Thanksgiving dinner.

Hearing the familiar buzzing and a sound of a text message, Octavia walked over to the end of the kitchen counter where her smartphone was charging. Typing in the code that unlocked her iPhone, she saw it was a message from David updating her on the case. She typed back about how the family were setting up the table now, but she will definitely save a good amount of leftovers for him.

Turning away from the smartphone, she eyed her father finishing up with the carving of the turkey. Octavia made way over to the stove to begin putting the stuffing into another bowl.

Within ten minutes, they were sitting around the dining room table, thanking for having a family and a good life thus far before they began eating. Through dinner, both Leonardo and Arla were asking either Octavia or Annabelle about their time in DC so far. A few times, her parents asked about David to which they were happy to hear Annabelle say that she enjoy having David around.

Octavia picked up the wine glass that was filled with apple cider and was taking a long sip when her mother turn to her with an innocent look.

"Octavia, what would you say about coming home to spend Christmas with us? David can come too."

"I would have to ask him, but I believe that it'll be fine." Octavia answered while setting the glass down to pick her silverware back up to begin cutting into the slice of turkey drown in gravy.

"Good. Now, Annabelle how have your jiu jitsu classes been going?" Leonardo asked as he stared at his only grandchild with a gentle look.

"It's great. Mommy said that I will be kicking butt like her when I get older."

"But you understand that you learn those moves to defend yourself when needed. Or in tournaments, if you are ever in one."

"I know, papa. Sensei explained that to all of us in class."

"Dad, trust me, I told her that if she ever showed off her moves or used it in an unnecessary situation or attacked someone innocent, she'll be in serious trouble. Right, belle?" Octavia looked away from her father to stare at Annabelle sitting beside her.

"Yep." Annabelle nodded while reaching forwards to grab another bread roll from a wicker basket.

"Good. Now, do you still want to be a marine biologist, Annabelle?" Leonardo asked, getting a small grin upon his lips when he saw Annabelle perk up and her bluish green eyes brighten up.

"Yes! Did you know that Starfish have clear blood and if a piece of their body is cut off, it can grow back!?" Annabelle excitedly said causing the three adults to gently chuckle at how excited Annabelle got.

"Really? I didn't know that." Leonardo replied, lifting his wine glass up filled with red wine to take a slow, long sip.

"David told me that he will take mommy and I to go swim with dolphins in the summertime when he gets time off." Annabelle informed her grandparents, who glanced at Octavia, who shrugged her shoulders.

"We discussed about taking a week off in the summertime and we would go off somewhere warm to have a nice vacation. And we mentioned dolphins because little belle here loves them." Octavia explained, glancing over at Annabelle, who was trying to cut through another slice of turkey to which Octavia reached over to help Annabelle cut the turkey slices into pieces.

"Thanks, mommy."

"Welcome, belle." Octavia softly said, turning back to her own dinner.

Soon, Octavia was packing leftovers in containers and placing them into the fridge while her mother and father were doing the dishes. Annabelle was helping with placing the silverware away as it was a draw that she could reach.

Once everything was done, Octavia with her parents were sitting in the living room while Annabelle was lying on the floor coloring in one of her coloring books. While a football game was playing on TV, Octavia and her mother had conversations about life in DC and about going to their home for Christmas. Leonardo was watching the game before Annabelle told him to color with her.

Octavia and Arla tried not to laugh when Leonardo slowly torn his eyes away from the football game and he slowly lower himself to the floor. He laid down beside Annabelle and picked up one of her crayons to which his hand engulfed the whole crayon. Every so often, Leonardo would look up to watch some of the game then went back to coloring with his granddaughter.

"So tell me, is David romantic?" Arla softly asked making Octavia to smile, but the two women looked down to the ground when they heard Leonardo clear his throat. He looked at them with raised eyebrows.

"What? I want to know more about the man that's involved with our daughter." Arla stated making Leonardo to shake his head then he look back down at the coloring book.

"Yes, he is. But I give him the stubborn attitude and don't give in easy."

"Ah, I taught you well." Arla said with her head held high as her eyes flicker over to Octavia.

The two began to laugh a few seconds later.

"It gets him going, but he told me that he loves it because it is a challenge and the result, well, is very satisfying." Octavia lowly told her mother making her mother to giggle with Octavia as if they were teenage girls gossiping and sharing secrets with each other.

Growing up, Octavia was always close to her parents, but Octavia shared everything with her mother. It always felt good to be able to share anything with her mother.

Close to nine o'clock, Octavia was lying in her bed with her smartphone in her hands as she typed to David that she was going to pass out sleeping, most likely from eating a lot of turkey. She laughed when she got a reply back stating that they better saved him some.

Setting the smartphone back on the nightstand once she said a goodnight to David, she turn on her side and shut her eyes, trying to relax her thoughts until she lulled herself to sleep.

… **..**

… **..**

… **..**

… **..**

… **..**

 **Hi Everyone,**

 **Here's another chapter.**

 **Please review for the next chapter!**

 **Thank You!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter:** A Merry Christmas

… **..**

… **.. A Week Later: …..**

… **..**

A sneeze echo through the house and then a low groan.

"Bless you." Rossi entered the master bedroom carrying a tray with a bowl of chicken rice soup, bottle of water and a bottle of medicine.

"You don't have to do this."

"I wish too. Plus, we can't have Annabelle getting sick too. We have to get you up and healthy again." Rossi pointed out as he waited for Octavia to sit up against the headboard before he set the tray down across her lap.

"How did you do with getting Annabelle ready then bringing her to school?"

"It went well. I think that I got my butt groped by one of the eighty year old teachers though." Rossi told her, visibly giving a shiver in disgust while Octavia tried to hide her laughter by biting the spoon for the soup.

When Octavia pause in eating, her nose scrunching up, Rossi quickly reached out to grab hold of the tray as she let out two loud sneezes.

"Argh." Octavia cleared her throat.

"Let me get you some tissues." Rossi stood up from the bed.

He went into the connected on bathroom to grab tissues when Octavia came running in and fell to her knees, throwing up into the toilet.

"Oh jeesh." Rossi set the tissues aside and quickly moved over to stand behind her, grabbing her long hair to hold away from her face and he began to rub her back with his other hand.

"Definitely got the bug, beautiful."

"This sucks." Octavia growled, slowly stood up with Rossi holding her right hand and his left hand on her lower back.

Octavia walked up to the sink to rinse her mouth out. She grabbed her toothbrush to clean the taste out.

"Do you want me to get some ginger ale or Gatorade?"

"I have a package of Gatorade in the food pantry closet downstairs. Hopefully I can keep it down." Octavia told him as she slowly make her way back to the bed and slid underneath the blankets, groaning as she hated when her body felt weak like this.

Rossi disappeared out of the bedroom, but then came up a minute later with a bottle of Gatorade. He set the drink onto the nightstand to sit down on the edge of the bed.

"You know would you call this irony because you're a doctor and you got the bug?" Rossi humoredly asked.

Octavia move on her side to stare up at Rossi with narrowed eyes causing him to bend down to gently lay his lips on her forehead. Even though he was showing affection, Rossi was also feeling her temperature. He could feel that she was a bit warmer than usual.

"I don't want to get you sick, David."

"You're not going to get rid of me, Octavia. I'm going to take care of you." Rossi told her as he reached back behind him to grab the bottle of Gatorade and brought it back before him.

Taking a few sips of the Gatorade, handing it back to Rossi, Octavia laid back down.

"When I go out to pick up Annabelle, I will go to the grocery store to get ingredients to make a tortellini soup filled with vegetables." He told her as he set the bottle back onto the nightstand.

"I hope so. I need to start doing Christmas shopping. Also, about my parents inviting us to their home…" Octavia slowly said as he adjusted himself back onto the bed.

"I see no problem in going." He answered her making Octavia to nod while kicking off some of the blankets now.

"Warm?"

"Yeah. Warm then cold. I hate being sick like this." Octavia groaned, shutting her eyes as he ran his right hand over her head and giving her a soften look.

"Don't we all." Rossi whispered as he stared down at her pale face with a small frown as he doesn't like this sickly look that Octavia has.

… **..**

… **.. Hours Later: …..**

… **..**

"Is mommy sick?"

"She must've caught some sort of bug or virus from work or around. She doesn't want to be too much around you to not get you sick." Rossi explained to Annabelle as he held her hand with his right hand and a basket in his left.

They were in the grocery store, picking up the ingredients to make a tortellini soup. At the moment, they were picking up the last of the ingredients, which was chicken. Rossi decided to put chicken in the soup instead of sausage since Octavia wasn't a big fan of sausage. He also felt that she would get sicker off the taste of the sausage then the chicken.

When looking through the packaging of chicken, Annabelle continue to hold his hand while softly swinging their clasped hands. Rossi let go of her hand for a second to pick up the chicken, set it into the basket before re-grabbing Annabelle's hand.

"Can we get mint chocolate chip ice cream?"

"I don't know, Belle." Rossi replied as they were cutting through the freezer aisle of the grocery store.

When Rossi looked down at Annabelle, he saw her giving the puppy dog face making him to quickly look away with a sigh escaping him.

… **..**

"Your daughter is dangerous."

"What?" Octavia stared at Rossi like he had two heads with raised eyebrows as she sat up in her bed with her laptop before her.

"She used the puppy dog face on me." Rossi blurted out as he stood in the master bedroom doorway with his hands on his hips.

"I'm used to it so I don't fall for it."

"Yeah, well I'm not."

"What did she make you buy?" Octavia gently snickered.

"Mint chocolate chip ice cream."

"Ooo, my favorite." Octavia said as she set her laptop aside on the nightstand in exchange to a bottle of water.

"Yeah, well you don't want to ingest dairy products. It would probably make your stomach upset. It seems like you are feeling better though."

"Yeah, I got up a few more times to throw up and my nose is still running, but I don't feel as weak as I did a few hours ago. Probably all these liquids that I have been forcing myself to drink." Octavia told him as she waved the bottle of water that was presence in her hand, in the air.

"Well keep doing what you are doing. I'm going to get started on dinner." Rossi jabbed his thumb behind him to the hallway before turning around to make his trip downstairs.

"David."

Turning back around to face Octavia, he stared at her staring back at him with a gentle smile.

"Thank you for being here and doing all of this."

"Of course. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't do any of this?" Rossi smiled before leaving the bedroom.

… **..**

… **.. Two Weeks Later: …..**

… **..**

Walking into a study room, seeing a laptop on a desk open to a blank document, Octavia stare at the back of Rossi head. She watch as he lean back in the seat with his right hand fingers tapping against the desk beside his laptop keyboards and his left hand resting on the keyboards.

Slowly, Octavia walked up to him from behind to wrap her arms around him, resting her chin upon his left shoulder.

"Writer's block?" Octavia asked making Rossi to nod.

"I'm trying to write the last few paragraphs of the conclusion, but I'm drawing a blank." David glared at the laptop screen.

"Do you need help?"

"You mean that you'll write this for me?"

"No. I can most likely help you jog up your memory." Octavia softly whispering into his left ear.

Octavia could see the sly grin appear on Rossi lips from the reflection of his laptop screen.

"I think that I might need that." Rossi stood up from the seat where he felt his right hand being grabbed by Octavia.

Rossi was grinning as Octavia led him through the hallways of his house then towards the stairs that led up to his master bedroom. When they were at the top of the stairs, Rossi wrapped his arms around her waist with his face nuzzling into the side of her neck causing her to gently laugh upon feeling his goatees tickling her skin.

Once through the doorway of the bedroom, a kick back of the foot caused the bedroom door to slam shut behind them.

… **..**

… **.. A Couple Days Later: …..**

… **..**

The boat slowly pulled into the pier of Martha's Vineyard where there were a few people standing around the docks, waiting for their love ones or friends.

"Grandpa! Grandma!" Annabelle exclaimed.

They walked down the ramp and onto the dock where Leonardo and Arla Enzo stood in winter gear, waving towards them.

Once they set foot on the dock, Annabelle ran towards her grandparents while Octavia and Rossi casually walked towards them. Octavia and Rossi came to stand before Leonardo and Arla, who looked at them. Leonardo shook Rossi hand while Octavia and her mother hugged one another.

"Let's get out of the cold. I'll make some hot chocolate back at the house."

"With marshmallows?" Annabelle looked up at her grandmother with wide innocent bluish green eyes.

"There's that look." Rossi muttered making Octavia to laugh.

Leonardo lowly chuckle as he knew what Rossi meant about Annabelle doing 'the look.'

"Yes, with marshmallows little one." Arla poked Annabelle on the nose before they came to stand before a navy blue Ford f150 truck.

They got in and drove for about ten minutes before they came to a two story house with the ocean in the backyard.

"Beautiful." Rossi whispered.

They walked into the house where there was this scent of freshly made apple pie and pine trees.

"I made apple crumble this morning." Arla informed them upon seeing both Rossi and Octavia take in a deep breath because of the scent.

Leonardo placed his hand upon Rossi shoulder and led him away, showing him around. That left Arla and Octavia to bring the suitcases upstairs where they placed Annabelle suitcase in a bedroom that became hers over time. Octavia put Rossi and her suitcases in her old bedroom that had French doors that lead out to a small deck that overlooked the ocean.

Over time, Octavia had turned her room into one that had an ocean theme. All childish things were gone. The only things that were left in the bedroom from her past was old trophies on a shelf and a bookcase that has all sorts of books that she grew up with.

"I miss looking out at the ocean and hearing the waves crashing on the shores." Octavia admitted as her mother as they stood side by side to look out the French doors to stare at the ocean.

"And this is Octavia's bedroom, where you will be staying. No funny business."

"Thanks, dad."

Both Leonardo and Arla left Octavia and Rossi alone.

"So this is your bedroom. There's no boy band posters or anything?" Rossi asked as he came to stand beside her.

The sight of the ocean, thinking how Octavia grew with this, Rossi can say that this was a peaceful and beautiful element of nature.

"When I graduated college, I came back and realized that I needed to change my room up to fit my age. Some of my trophies are still on the shelves and my books in the case, but overall, everything was to fit the ocean theme. It relaxes me." Octavia explained.

"I can see how this is relaxing." Rossi agreed facing her.

He could admit that he can definitely live like this. On an island, away from the mainland and being surrounded by water. The sound of the ocean waves crashing against the shore and the smell of the ocean breeze was refreshing. The winter air mixing with ocean breeze smelled very much pure.

"Octavia, David do you want a cup of hot chocolate?" Arla shouted from downstairs.

Rossi gave a nod making Octavia to step towards her bedroom doorway and clenched the doorframe.

"Yes please, mom." Octavia answered.

Rossi went about unpacking his suitcase to begin hanging up his clothes in the closet and the dresser that was within the closet too.

"What's this?"

Octavia eyed Rossi as he walked out of the closet holding a rolled up poster. He began to unravel it causing Octavia to lunge at him, but he turn his back to her and smiling as he knew that he found something that she doesn't want him to see. Octavia growled and stuck her right leg through his legs, wrapped around his left leg and shoved him forwards onto her queen size bed.

"Oh would you look at that." Rossi chuckled as the poster was a male model with only a cowboy hat covering his privates.

"David, give me the poster." Octavia sat on his back as he laid across the bed with the poster stretched out before them.

Snatching the poster from him, she rolled it back up and she got off of him to go back into the closet to hide it back on the top shelf. Rossi sat up on the bed, sitting on the edge and he was grinning like a cherishing cat.

"So, cowboys?"

"Oh shush. My cousin gave it to me to which I never hung up but hid it in the closet." Octavia truthfully told him as she stood across from him with her hands upon her hips.

"What type of posters did you have hung up?" Rossi asked, curious as to what her preferences were.

"I only had a few posters hanging around the bedroom like a Red Sox poster, a poster of that movie _The Lost Boys_ , and another movie poster."

Octavia heard her mother shouting that the hot chocolate was done. Octavia winked at him before heading out of the bedroom with Rossi trailing behind her. He followed her down to kitchen where there was mugs of hot chocolate sitting upon the marble countertop of the kitchen island.

"Here." Leonardo held out a bottle of bourbon towards Rossi.

"Now we are talking." Rossi said while Arla and Octavia rolled their eyes at the two men spiking their hot chocolate.

"What's that?" Annabelle asked.

"Something that only adults are allowed to have." Arla answered as the two men walked to the living room to talk while Arla, Octavia and Annabelle sat in the kitchen, talking about any new news upon the island.

… **..**

… **.. Few Days Later; Christmas Morning: …..**

… **..**

Soft lips were pressing against the skin of her collarbones and her neck. Cracking open her eyes, Octavia soon found herself staring up into familiar warm brown eyes.

"Good morning."

"Morning. What time is it?"

"Six. I heard Annabelle running around the house and she came in here, telling me to wake you up before running downstairs to the Christmas tree. Santa has come." Rossi explained to her as he laid another kiss upon her lips before sitting up.

Octavia stared at David, seeing how he seem more relax on Christmas Day now. He had told her about an old case of his where it took place on Christmas and he couldn't celebrate it for years without remembering the case. Almost two years ago, he had solved that old case and now, he was becoming relax around Christmas again.

"Argh." Octavia tried to pull the blankets over her head, but Rossi pulled it away before she could.

Getting out of the bed, Rossi moved to her side and grabbed her hands.

"Come on." Rossi said, helping her sit up then gently pulled her out of the bed, leading her out into the hallway and stopped before the bathroom.

Once they both freshen up in the bathroom, they moved downstairs where Annabelle was patiently sitting near the Christmas tree with Leonardo and Arla sitting on the couch together.

"Coffee in the kitchen." Leonardo waved in motion to the kitchen.

Once they got their coffee, they sat down on a love seat in the living room and sipped their coffee while watching Annabelle tear through her stocking before going through her presents.

Occasionally the adults would open one, but they focus all their attention on Annabelle, who was literally buried in wrapping paper. When Rossi handed Octavia a gift from him, she eyed him closely before tearing through the wrapping paper to find a box. Opening the box, her eyes widen upon seeing a sterling silver bracelet with diamonds.

"Do you like it?"

"This is beautiful. David, this is too much."

"No. No it is not." He whispered to her as he took the bracelet out of the box and clasped it around her left wrist.

"Here." Octavia handed him his present making him to ripped it and then open up the box to only make an impressed whistle at the expensive watch staring back at him.

The face of the watch reflecting his awestruck expression before he turn to face Octavia, reaching out to cup the side of her face with his left hand and he leaned forwards to lay a gentle kiss upon his lips as a thank you. She smiled into his kiss before pulling back, smiling at her.

"I think that we are even." Rossi told her making Octavia to nod in agreement with a smile.

To the side, Leonardo had his right arm around his wife shoulders and they both stared with happiness in their eyes at the couple, especially Octavia as they can see that she had gotten her second chance at love.

"Merry Christmas, David."

"Merry Christmas, Octavia."

… **..**

… **..**

… **..**

… **..**

… **..**

 **Hi Everyone,**

 **Here was another chapter!**

 **Enjoy! Review!**

 **Thanks!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter:** Surprise Visit

… **..**

… **.. Few Months Later: …..**

… **..**

Months passed and cases gone by.

Taking time off for do a book tour, Rossi was in Cleveland, Ohio to talk about his new book before doing a signing. After his talk, he sat behind a table where he was signing books. He just finish signing a book when he got a whiff of a very familiar fragrance that he woke up to almost every morning back home in DC.

Looking to his right and slightly behind him, a wide smile came onto his lips.

"Hey, what are you doing here, beautiful?" Rossi said as he wrapped his right arm around Octavia's waist to tug her close to his side.

"I wanted the author of this book to sign it and maybe give me a VIP talk afterwards." Octavia whispered into his ear.

Rossi lowly chuckle underneath his breath then turn his head to peck her on the lips.

"I'll see what I can do."

"Also, you might have to stop me from decking that manager lady of this store in the face. She has been eyeing you like a dog in heat. Did she give you her number?" Octavia asked as she stepped back when Rossi continue to sign books from his avid fans.

"Oh ho, is that jealously?"

"And if I say yes?"

"I would have to say how sexy you look when you get fierce." Rossi winked making Octavia to laugh while shaking her head.

"Where's Annabelle?"

"With my aunt and cousin. They been taking her around all the museums in DC and whatnot. But also, I heard that Garcia, Reid and Morgan have been hanging around too; thus, she has been having a very fun time hanging out with them." Octavia told him as he nodded before turning to face a young adult that began to ramble about murders around the neighborhood that have been increasing statistically.

Octavia could see that Rossi just wanted to get out of there and get back to the hotel with her, but the young woman kept rambling on and on until Rossi stopped her. For some reason, Octavia felt as if this woman might be onto something, but Rossi not being BAU state of mind at the moment told the young woman to relax.

"Octavia." Rossi held out his right arm to which Octavia walked up to him and grabbed onto his hand.

They walked outside where a driver pulled up in a black sedan car. The driver got out to open the backdoor for them. Rossi led her into the car, but stopped as that young woman again came running up to Rossi to keep trying to convince him to look into the statistics. Soon, Rossi was in the car beside Octavia. Rossi looked at Octavia to see that she had a serious expression.

"What's the matter, Octavia?"

"What if that young woman was onto something, David?"

"She was listing off statistics. She's a criminology student and very hyped up from not only reading my books, but from learning new information in her classes. Now, this is my time off and you came down to surprise me." Rossi told her as he grabbed her left hand resting on her lap.

"I guess that you are right and I'm happy that I surprised you." Octavia softly told him.

"Where are your things?"

"At the hotel that you are staying at."

"How did you—Garcia?"

"Yep. You can't hide from us, Mr. Rossi." Octavia smiled as she leaned forwards to peck his lips making him to grin upon her affection before kissing her back.

Arriving at the hotel, Rossi went to the front desk to have them send up some snacks before he led Octavia towards the elevator. He held her close as the elevator went up to the top floor then he led her to the hotel room that they'll be staying in. Upon entering the room, he immediately laid his lips against her own and he started to walk her backwards when she pulled back and put her right pointer finger on his lips.

"What's the matter?"

"Let's wait till the room service gets up here first. I don't want to be interrupted." Octavia told him to which he stared at her for a few seconds then he nodded in agreement.

When room service arrived with various cheese and crackers on one plate. On another was half of various fruits and half of various vegetables. Octavia grabbed a few cheese to put onto a cracker and began to nibble on them. David grabbed a few grapes to eat while he turned on the TV to some college game going on.

Setting the remote down on the nightstand on the side of the bed, David glanced at Octavia to see that she had on the thinking look. David move up to Octavia to press his chest up against her back and he rested his hands on top of her hips.

"You are still thinking about that young woman that came up to me, aren't you?" David asked causing her to bow her head making David to know that he guessed right.

"Yes. Something isn't right. Just the way that she was talking David and then approached you with concern." Octavia softly told him.

Seeing how much this was affecting Octavia, David knew that he had to do something about it. Usually when Octavia kept thinking about something for a long period time, over and over again, it was deemed important.

"If it makes you feel better, we can ask Garcia to look the young lady up and we will can call her tomorrow. If we do not get her number or track her, we could lure her in as she seemed like a big fan of my books. Sound good?" David explained to Octavia, feeling her slightly relax against him.

"Okay." Octavia said as she turned around in his grips to rest her hands against his chest.

Reaching up, David brushed her cheek with his right hand before cupping that cheek to lean down to lay his lips against her own. When he pulled back only a little, Octavia leaned back up. Their lips connected again and again until they started to slyly lose their clothes and soon they fell onto the king size bed.

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… **.. The Next Day; Morning: …..**

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Last night was a pleasant time and one that David and Octavia shared intimate moments were they did not have to worry about any sort of interruptions from anyone. The morning was the same way too as they spent a bit of time reliving last night's passionate escapade.

Now, they were packing up to head back home as this was David's last stop for his book signing tour. David was finishing up packing his bag while Octavia was coming out of the bathroom after going to the bathroom before they left.

She plopped herself down on the end of the bed as David was zipping up his suitcase. He then placed his hands on the bed and leaned over to lay his lips against the side of her neck.

"All packed."

"Yep."

"Took your antibiotics."

"Yes. The last of them."

David chuckle as he knew how much Octavia hated taking medicine, especially pills. She got a phobia of swallowing pills. Even if she was a doctor, she still had her own personal phobias when it came to medicine.

The antibiotics were due to strep throat she had a week and a half ago. It came out of nowhere and hit her hard. It was a miserable week to say the least.

David's cell phone began to loudly ring on the bed making him to pick it up, flip it open and brought it up to his ear.

"Agent Rossi...yes…I'll be right down."

Octavia sat up a bit straighter as she saw how David's face went from grinning at her to disappearing altogether. When he snapped the cell phone shut, he looked up at her with a blank expression.

"Who is it?" Octavia instantly asked.

Usually such an expression meant something happened to someone that they knew.

"It's the girl from last night at the book signing...she's dead."

A gasp escaped Octavia and her eyes went wide. She couldn't believe it to be true. Her eyes stayed on David as he slowly pulled the suitcases off the bed.

"The police are here. They will escort us to the scene."

Octavia simply nodded as she will follow David lead. With this happening, most likely David will investigate himself. She could see it in his eyes as they left their hotel room that he was in guilt.

"David."

"I should have listen to her. I should have listen to you. Maybe…"

"Don't."

David stop talking as he looked at her as they stood in the elevator going down to the main lobby.

"Don't put the blame on yourself, David. There's a lot of moments in our lives where we say 'what if' or 'I should have' or 'maybe.' If we live like that everyday, we wouldn't be doing half the things we do in our lives. Now, let's go see and listen to everything that happen. Okay?" Octavia said, holding her left hand out to him.

David gave a small grin with still shock in his eyes on this happening. A small nod and David reached out, grabbing her hand where Octavia gave him a reassuring squeeze.

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… **..**

 **Hi Everyone,**

 **I decided to post two chapters (14 & 15) today. **

**Enjoy.**

 **Thank You!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter:** Observations

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Octavia stood on the sidewalk, out of the way of the police and EMTs. She bowed her head as a gurney was wheeled by with a body wrapped up in a familiar black body bag. A small pray underneath her breath before lifting her head up to see David walking alongside what Octavia assume was a Cleveland detective.

"We are going to Zoe Hawkes house."

"Do you want me to go back to the hotel?"

"It's fine. Might need some of your medical expertise as the team isn't here." David told her softly as she walked alongside him after the detective.

They drove to a pleasant looking grey house with a bright red door. The trip up the steps felt as if every step was hard to take. It was a upsetting feeling that swirled in the stomach when delivering bad news to the next of kin.

A ring on the doorbell and the front door open up almost immediately to show a woman in her late forties, maybe early fifties with a smile that soon slid off upon seeing them standing there with hardened faces.

"Sheila Hawkes?"

"Yeah." Mrs. Hawkes gave a small grin, not knowing what was coming.

"Hi. I'm uh, Detective Brady with the Cleveland police department. This is Agent Rossi with the FBI. And Dr. Octavia Draco. May we come in?" Detective Brady introduced them.

"Why?" Mrs. Hawkes eyed each of them, the grin off her face now as concern took over.

"It's about your daughter."

"That-that's one of her journals. Has something happened?" Mrs. Hawkes saw one of Zoe's compound journals in David's hands.

"Yes. She was murdered."

From concern to horrify to grief, emotions spread across Mrs. Hawkes's face in rapid fire. A gasp escaped her, tears immediately in her eyes.

"I am so sorry...Mrs. Hawkes." Detective Brady stepped forward as Mrs. Hawkes grasped the doorway, barely holding herself up anymore as the agony of losing a child hit her hard.

Octavia bowed her head, biting her tongue as she couldn't imagine what she would be like in this mother's shoes. It was something Octavia did not want to ever picture happening.

"Oh, No! No!" Mrs. Hawkes yelled as Detective Brady helped her sit down on the staircase inside her home.

David entered with Octavia following behind, slowly shutting the front door softly behind her.

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The three sat in the living room with Mrs. Hawkes sitting in front of them. Eyes red, cheeks flushed and hands trembling, Mrs. Hawkes tried to put a strong front for them.

"Where did you find her?"

"She was in a house in East Cleveland. We think she may have been visiting a crime scene." Detective Brady answered.

"God...I told her to stop doing that. I told her that was too dangerous. Where...where is she now?" Mrs. Hawkes said with a small scowling as it was clear that she warned Zoe many times before.

"She's at the coroner's office, and I can take you to see her when you're ready."

"Now, right now. I have to go right now." Mrs. Hawkes said instantly.

They all stood up from their seats.

"Mrs. Hawkes, would you mind if I stayed behind to look in her room?"

The grieving mother stared at David slightly thrown off by the request, but turn away slowly as she gave a small nod. David glanced at Octavia with a small gesture for her to follow. They went upstairs where Mrs. Hawkes took a few seconds to stare at the bedroom door before opening it with a deep exhale.

"She was so excited to meet you. You're like a..a hero to her." Mrs. Hawkes said softly toward David as she stared around the room before taking in a sharp inhale as tears began to flow down her face.

"Mrs. Hawkes, let me take you downtown now." Detective Brady came forward to lead Mrs. Hawkes out of the room and soon out of the house.

With them gone, David began to glance around the room. Octavia immediately walked over to the bookshelf built in the wall to observe the collections of books Zoe had. Hearing a click behind her, Octavia turned around to see David sitting down at a desk and flipping open a laptop that was on.

Octavia made her way over to stand beside David. Her eyes looked up to see more books on a bookshelf over the desk. Her eyes catching sight of the collection of David's books on the shelf. It made her to unconsciously reach out to lie her hand on David's left shoulder.

His hand came up to rub against hers before pulling out his phone where he called Garcia to hack into Zoe's computer to help him out. He also didn't want to leave any of his fingerprints across the laptop keyboards.

Putting the cell phone on speaker, David sat back as he watched the cursor on the desktop move about.

" _Okay, I am in."_ Garcia said over the cell phone.

"I see you."

" _Open your web browser for search history. Checking her home page."_

David and Octavia watched as Garcia controlled the computer back home in DC. The BAU team around her as she controlled the computer.

" _All right, so the first thing she looks at when she opens her computer is a crime column."_ Erin said over the phone.

" _Probably to stay current on her studies."_ Morgan added in.

"Can you see what she worked on last?" David requested.

" _Voila. These are the most recently opened documents she created."_ Garcia said with a few clicks and typing of her computer.

Popping up onto the laptop screen was all sorts of statistic graphs, geographic maps of the city and numbers.

" _Looks like she was compiling empirical data about homicide trends in Cleveland."_ Spencer pointed out.

" _Do you think she knew the killer?"_ Erin asked.

"I don't see any notes indicating suspects."

" _Well, Dave, she's a criminology student. She's been taught to analyze statistics and apply theory, not investigate killers. Let's talk about what we know."_ Hotch stated.

" _All right. Victim one, Travis Bartlett was last seen at a gay bar, he was shot at night in a park. Victim two, Lily Nicks, a thirty-four year old prostitute, her throat was slashed. Victims three and four, June Appleby and Troy Wertsler, were shot in their car at a parking lot outside a movie theater. And victim five was a twenty-eight year old single woman, Kayla James, killed in her home. She was bound, suffocated with a bag over her head, evidence of rape. And then the sixth victim was Zoe."_ JJ explained through the case files.

" _Victimology, weapons used and C.O.D. are all different. I mean, it's hard to imagine it's even the same unsub."_ Spencer pointed out.

"It can't be a coincidence that Zoe goes to Kayla James' house and gets murdered." David quickly said.

" _All right, let's say it is the same killer. Does anybody see a pattern?"_

" _Well, maybe. Ok, the first crime, he shoots the victim. The second crime, he rapes a woman and slashes her throat. That's more personal. And the third crime, he escalates to killing two people, and the fourth he escalates even more by raping a woman, binding her and suffocating her."_ Erin explained her thoughts about a possible pattern.

" _So, if it is the same unsub, you could argue that there's a progression of violence with every kill."_ Hotch summed up Erin's idea.

"It could be an anger excitation offender, getting more daring with each crime."

Octavia looked away from the computer screen to move back over to the bookshelves to study all the books that Zoe had. There were all sorts of books relevant to crime. Octavia caught sight of a few that were related to the medical field of crime. The books were in order by the fields it specifically focused on. Her eyes skimmed over a couple books on history of crimes and cases causing her eyes to drift to the end of the bookshelf. Keeping her eyes wandering, Octavia turned her head to stare at the poster that Zoe had up.

The poster being one of Octavia's favorite movies, _Silence of the Lambs_.

Immediately, Octavia eyes shot back to the bookshelf as she let her eyes skim over the titles again until she came to rest on the history of criminals.

David glanced over at Octavia as he saw her moving a lot in one spot. She kept glancing at the movie poster then back at the bookshelf then back at the poster and then her eyes scanned the room. Narrowing his eyes, David felt that Octavia was picking up on an idea about this case. If Octavia wasn't a doctor, David did suggested to her once that she would have made a great profiler because she was very observant.

When Octavia made eye connection with him, David mouthed to her 'what are you thinking.'

"If these crimes are so different yet escalating in brutality, could it be possible this killer is taking ideas from past cases of serial killers?" Octavia spoken out.

David stared at her for a few seconds before looking back at the laptop screen, thinking about what JJ explained about all the victims and how they were murdered. Past cases similar to these cases made David to see the similarity in them.

" _Interesting you said that, Octavia because I think I got something here. Look at this. The slashes in the prostitute's throat, they're all shallow, unsure cuts. The Kayla James crime scene...telephone cord, rope, and duct tape were used. It's like he couldn't decide how to bind her."_ Morgan said mostly to the conference table where the others sat.

" _So without a gun, he's sloppy, inexperienced."_ Hotch added in.

" _The young couple shot in the car...that crime scene remind you of anything?"_ Rustling was heard over the speakerphone as Morgan must've had photos.

" _Yeah, they were shot with a .44 bulldog, just like the Son of Same used on his victims, which were also young couples in parked cars."_

David eyes instantly shot over at Octavia as she seem to pick up the patterns.

" _It might be nothing, but you're right, there is a parallel there."_

" _With the second victim, it's hard not to think of Jack the Ripper. The obvious similarity being it's a prostitute whose throat was slashed."_ Erin picked up the similarity in another victim.

" _Kayla James was bound, tortured, raped, with a plastic bag over her head like BTK."_

" _What about victim number one?"_

"Garcia, what neighborhood was he found in?" David asked, his eyes staring at Octavia as she came walking back over to him.

" _At a park in the Kingsbury Run area."_ Garcia answered.

"Zoe reminded me last night that Cleveland's most famous serial killer was the Butcher of Kingsbury Run. He found his victims in gay bars, shot them, and dumped their body there. Travis Bartlett was last seen at a gay bar, and his body was found in Kingsbury Park." David slowly explained.

" _So these are copycats of famous serial killers?"_ JJ asked in disbelief.

"He's a serial killer studying serial killers." David answered.

" _See you in Cleveland, Dave."_ Hotch said before hanging up, showing that they had a case on their hands.

The laptop logged off by itself thanks to Garcia doing it for them. David shut the laptop then turn in the desk seat to stare at Octavia with a small incline of his left eyebrow.

"How did you pick that up?"

"Staring at these collection of books and seeing a few book on histories of crimes and serial killers. Then I caught sight of the movie poster of my favorite thriller movie, _Silence of the Lambs_. A classic movie. Therefore, I thought of the serial killer crimes. Different ways and when Hotch said inexperience and sloppy, I thought of whoever this is, trying to figure a way to go about his murdering." Octavia explained.

"He's trying to find what his siguarate will be." David said, sitting up from the seat.

"If he is still trying to figure it out, won't that mean…"

"There will be more bodies." David told her as he made way toward the bedroom door.

Octavia following after him, but paused in the doorway to take one last glance around the room before following David.

A cop car was waiting for them outside.

As Octavia followed David, she could see that David was still bothered by this. She knew that he still blamed himself for all of this and Octavia felt that she could only stand by David's side and comfort him when needed.

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… **..**

… **..**

 **Hi Everyone,**

 **Here was a new chapter.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Thank You!**

 **(P.S. Check out the poll on my main page. Please go and vote on it). *As of 6/10/17***


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter:** Support

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With the team in Cleveland now, Octavia went back to the hotel.

After hours of working with the BAU team down at the police station, David returned back to the hotel room. Octavia peeked over her reading glasses to study him. She shut her laptop closed with one hand while pulling her reading glasses off with the other.

"Hotch seem to point out the same thing you told me earlier." David started.

Octavia knew he was talking about how quickly this case got personal to him. Hotch must had said something to David along those lines.

"As this case goes on, I can see how this became personal to you, David."

David sat on the edge of the bed with his back to her. Slowly, Octavia crawled across the bed to sit herself down beside him. He stared down at his hands with half-lidded tired eyes.

"Could it have been different if I listened to her? I told her to keep looking into it."

"Even if you talked to her that night, would it had stopped her from taking it further into her hands. You saw how her mother reacted, how analytical Zoe was with her graphs. No matter what, she was going to investigate."

David nodded as he knew about that part. Octavia laid her head down on his shoulder, shutting her eyes. She felt David rest his head on top of hers.

"I paid for the funeral arrangements. The mother found out."

"I assume that she didn't take it well."

"Nope."

"I can't imagine what she is going through."

"I hope that you never do."

Octavia nod her head in agreement. She opened her eyes and lifted her head up causing David to lift his head up too. She turned her head to stare at him, lifting her left hand up to caress his jawline in a gentle way.

"Rest. Tomorrow, you got a long day ahead of you."

David nodded. He stood up from the bed to go into the bathroom to wash up before he came to bed. Octavia went back to her side of the bed, pulling the covers over her legs as she leaned up against the bed headboard. Grabbing the remote, Octavia flicked through the channels until she came across a history documentary.

The shower turned on in the bathroom made Octavia to glance over at the door with a gentle expression, knowing that David was hurting from this case. Taking it personal, it was effecting him every second. She will comfort him, but knew her comfort could only go so far.

Feeling her back twinging from sitting up against a hard surface, Octavia slid down to lie down. She did put a few extra pillows behind her head to keep herself slightly upright to watch TV in order to keep herself awake, long enough for David to come to bed.

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When David stepped out of the bathroom, he couldn't help but grin at the sight of Octavia curled up in the blankets and pillows. She was sleeping with the TV on some history documentary. He knew that she most likely tried to stay up to wait for him, but the tiredness won.

Sliding into bed, David grabbed the remote to lower the volume on the TV to the point that it was almost mute. He opened the nightstand drawer to pull out the composition notebook that belonged to Zoe Hawkes. There he began to read the notes Zoe left on each page, seeing it was observations and logs of the killings that had been happening around the area.

Almost complete with reading through the notebook, David set it aside as he felt his eyes becoming heavy. The familiar small rock feelings in his eyes made him to know that he strained them too much. He let out a yawn before turning off the nightstand light on his side of the bed. The TV being the only light in the hotel room.

Lying down and turning on his side, his eyes scanned over Octavia's face. He moved closer to wrap his left arm around her waist. He took in her peaceful sleeping face, thinking how she had been doing everything in her power to give him strength by providing him support and whatever he needed through this case.

To say the least, he was grateful that Octavia showed him such emotions. He did not have to feel alone. He found himself thinking how he could turn to Octavia, where she will simply hold open her arms and accept him with a warm embrace.

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The text buzzed loudly from Octavia's smartphone.

Unlocking the smartphone, she opened up the messages to see what David sent her.

 _We got him._

Her head tilted a little ways back with a relief sigh escaping her.

Octavia sat up straight as she stared back down at the text for a few more moments then she set the phone aside. She sat back in the chair in the small restaurant the hotel had. She was happy that David and the team caught the serial killer. Though it was still a bit upsetting that Zoe Hawkes lost her life due to investigating further on this killer, but she did bring attention of this developing serial killer to the BAU team.

When David returned back, Octavia found herself in his arms, strongly hugging each other. He simply held her and didn't seem to want to let go any time soon. After a few minutes gone by, Octavia led him up to their hotel room to give them privacy.

"Before we leave, I want to pay my respects to Zoe."

"Okay. I will get flowers." Octavia told him, sitting herself down beside him on the end of the bed.

David pressed his lips against Octavia's forehead before pulling back to stare into her eyes.

"It hurts to think Zoe lost her life to this man, but at the same time, she helped to bring this serial killer into the open for us."

"I was thinking about that earlier. It's upsetting of the events that took place, but it helped with shedding light on capturing this killer. I think Zoe would be happy to know that you caught the killer."

"You think so?"

"I believe so." Octavia replied with a gentle smile.

David gave a small nod before laying his head down against her chest. Octavia wrapped her arms around him, holding him close.

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… **.. Few Hours Later: …..**

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With a bouquet of flowers in his left hand, David walked alongside Octavia through a graveyard. He held her hand with his right hand as they walked up a small hill to a freshly dug gravesite.

Coming to a stop at Zoe's grave, David knelt down to place the flowers on top of the dirt. He stood back up with his head bowed to pay his respects and give a small prayer.

Octavia doing the same.

"I hear you caught him."

Both David and Octavia lifted their heads up to the left to see Mrs. Hawkes had appeared up on the hill with her own bundle of flowers.

"We did." David replied.

"Is he going to prison?" Mrs. Hawkes came closer, but stopped herself from getting too close to them.

"For the rest of his life."

"It doesn't make me feel better. He's alive and Zoe's not. But she'd be pleased that you caught him." Mrs. Hawke gave a watery smile.

"I hope so." David replied with tears building up in his eyes, his right hand getting a gentle squeeze by Octavia.

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… **.. The Next Morning: …..**

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The arrival home was one that Octavia couldn't wait. When that front door opened up and Annabelle came sprinting out of the house, Octavia dropped everything. She ran up to Annabelle, lifted her daughter up into her arms and hugged her very close.

David smiled at the sight, seeing how emotional Octavia was getting as she held Annabelle tightly to her. Going through what happened in Cleveland with that case, it was clear that Octavia never wanted to go through that experience as a mother.

"David!"

"Little Belle." David set down his suitcase to pick the six year old up into his arms.

They took their things into the house with Annabelle still in David's arms. He sat down on the living room couch where Annabelle set herself right beside him.

"Did mommy and you enjoy your vacation?"

Obviously not bringing up what happened, David put up a masked grin on his lips. His eyes did glance to Octavia, who put up a happy exterior front to not let the little one to question them.

"Yeah, we spent a nice time together." David answered as he watched Octavia come over to sit down on the other side of him.

"I made you another picture for your office."

"You did? Can I see it?" David let go of Annabelle as she ran off to go get the drawing.

"Her smile is refreshing." David admitted, his left hand grabbed Octavia's hand.

"Yes. It is." Octavia smiled as she laid her head against his shoulder.

Annabelle came running back in with a smile as she handed David the construction paper that had a drawing of the three of them standing by the ocean. David smiled back at Annabelle as she pointed out that they were researching the ocean with her since she was the marine biologist.

Octavia smiled, happy to see how Annabelle interacted with David so perfectly and how David saw Annabelle as if she was his own child. Octavia was happy to be home, smiling as she enjoyed these family moments with David and Annabelle.

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… **..**

… **..**

 **Hi Everyone,**

 **Here was a new chapter.**

 **Please Enjoy and Review.**

 **Thank You!**

 **(P.S. Check out the poll on my main page. Please vote! I am going to be closing it down soon.) *As of 6/12/17***


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter:** Precaution

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… **.. A Couple Weeks Later: …..**

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Constant running around the doctor office, Octavia had been busy with patients. She noted that there were an unusual amount of calls from people that requested for a quick check up.

Octavia took gave herself time to catch her breath with a small break. She checked her smartphone and saw that David called her a few times. She unlocked the smartphone to see that he not only called her, but he sent her a good amounts of text messages too. It brought a wave of concern spread through her. It was unusual for David to do such an action. Octavia called him right back.

He picked up on the first ring.

"Do not accept any new patients."

"Hello to you too, David."

"Octavia listen, if any new patients are requesting to come in to check a cough, bloody nose or lacerations appearing on their skin, shut down the office."

"David, you are scaring me. What you are explaining sounds like…"

"A strain." He finished.

Not saying anymore, Octavia ran out of the staff room and to the front desk to confront the receptionist. On the phone, David was shouting her name, but stopped when Octavia began to shout to all her employees to shut down the office and call back the new patients to check in to a hospital for a quick check up for now.

"What do I do now?" Octavia brought the smartphone back up to her right ear, walking out of the office.

"I am coming over with a few researchers to make sure that nothing was brought in."

"I didn't have any new patients, David. I had my original patients."

"It is a precaution, Octavia."

"Okay. I will see you in a bit." Octavia whispered, hanging up before she turned around to see her employees staring at her.

Knowing that she could not tell them the truth, Octavia began to formulate a bullshit situation plan. She knew what David told her was not to be mentioned to the public. If so, it will uprise a panic and the more people found out, the quicker the news would spread.

"The carbon dioxide alarm went off in my office. Everyone pack up, head out. I am bringing in people to check it over. Make calls to cancel upcoming appointments and reschedule." Octavia commanded, leaving the front office before anyone could ask questions.

Within twenty minutes, everyone was gone.

David appeared with people dressed in contamination suits and suitcase filled with tools to test out and see if the place was contaminated. One of those people came up to Octavia and explained to her that they will need to a swab to make sure if she was clean.

"So, this is airborne? Is it contiguous?" Octavia questioned.

"As of right now, we do not believe so. But this strain is powerful. Whoever made this could change the formula to make it contiguous."

"Lovely." Octavia sat herself down as she did the test.

"What did you tell your workers?"

"Carbon dioxide leak."

"Smart woman. You are all good." The researcher told her.

"Indeed, she's smart." David smiled as he grabbed her hand, rubbing his thumb on the back of her hand.

"Were you allowed to tell me this information?"

"Well, Aaron was hesitant, but I pointed out you're a doctor and could have new patients. Which by the way, did your receptionist get the names and addresses of these new patients?" David said as he walked to the door that led into the hallway and he walked out to the receptionist area.

"I told them to call back those patients and tell them to head to the hospital to get checked out." Octavia explained, following David into the receptionist area.

"Good." David turned to face her with a small grin.

After a good hour, everything was checked over and everything was clean. Octavia alarmed and locked up her office building before following David to the parking lot.

"David, will Annabelle be fine?"

"Octavia this is the hard part." David rested his hands on her hips to make her to stare at him with widen eyes.

"You're going to tell me that I can't do anything that might bring up questions."

"Yes, but I can guarantee you that she will be fine."

Octavia gave a small nod, trying not to show any worry across her face. He pressed his lips against her forehead and then he led her over to her vehicle.

"Follow me."

"Okay."

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The BAU bullpen was filled with various agency and departments. David managed to navigate her to Garcia's office where he told her that he had to get back to work. She was still worry about Annabelle, but she trusted David to be right about Annabelle being safe.

"Are you alright?"

Octavia looked away from staring at her smartphone to see Garcia entering the room. With a small nod, it was clear that Garcia didn't believe Octavia. A look that clearly showed concern and at the same time, not fully believing Octavia.

"All this going on, I want to get Annabelle."

"Understandable, but knowing Rossi, he will make sure that Annabelle and you will be perfectly safe." Garcia reached out to pat the top of Octavia's hand with a reassured grin.

"I do know that." Octavia got a thankful smile on her lips.

"Now, do you need anything?"

"No, actually I do need to tell David that I supposed to pick up Annabelle from school today. We can't change that because it will bring up questions."

"Yes, it will. I will send him a message to inform him of the situation." Garcia said, quickly types one her computer.

The smartphone in her hands contained a couple games that will be keeping her occupied throughout this whole event. Though in the presence of Garcia, she knew that she will be entertained enough.

"So, how's the relationship between the Italian stallion and you?"

"Good."

"No details?" Garcia turned in her seat, staring at Octavia with a wag of her eyebrows.

"No details. Those details I am keeping to myself." Octavia grinned.

"Ooo, I can tell you two are into each other. No pun intended. Actually maybe pun intended."

"Penelope!" Octavia laughed.

"Well, it's true." Garcia smiled, turning back to her computer to continue doing her work.

In five minutes, David appeared in the doorway.

"Knock, knock."

"You got the message?" Octavia asked softly as she stood up from her spot.

"Yes, you are right. We have to make everything normal. When you pick her up, head straight home. Do not leave the house and don't answer the door for anyone except us. Yes?"

"Got it." Octavia confirmed with a nod.

… **..**

… **.. A Couple Hours Later: …..**

… **..**

Keeping Annabelle occupied while not worrying was proving to be difficult when the six year old was good at observer. It was clear that Annabelle could see the concern and worry expressions on Octavia's face whenever she got off the phone with David.

"Mommy, is everything alright?"

"Yes, everything is perfect, Belle. Did you complete your homework?" Octavia set her smartphone down on the coffee table and looked up at her daughter.

"Yep."

"Good. I am going to start dinner. Does pizza sound good? I already pulled the dough out to soften up."

"Yes!" Annabelle threw her arms up, excited about pizza for dinner.

Octavia laughed gently as she grabbed her smartphone off the coffee table and left the living room to head into the kitchen. Setting the smartphone on the kitchen island, Octavia went to work on spreading out the dough on two pizza pans. One will be a plain cheese pizza while the other will have onions and peppers.

The making of the pizza kept Octavia's mind sort of busy, but she kept thinking about the message from David about Reid being sent to the hospital due to be exposed to the strain, but took a possible antidote, but still had to be checked out.

To keep such a dangerous information a secret made Octavia to worry about everyone that could be exposed to this strain. She could only imagine what David and the team were going through, having to lie to anyone outside the building about what was going on.

A buzz of her smartphone made her to pause in spreading the cheese on the pizza. She wiped her hands on a kitchen towel before picking up her smartphone to unlock it and opened up the messages to see one from David.

Case solved. We got him.

Relief sigh escaped Octavia. She texted 'good' back to David before setting her smartphone aside. Resuming in making the pizza, Octavia called Annabelle to set the table as the pizza will be done in about twenty minutes.

… **..**

By the time the pizza got out of the oven, Octavia did not realize how hungry she was. Her stomach was growling so loud that she rubbed her right hand over her stomach. It made Octavia to think back to when she last ate which she came to realize that all she had today was an apple.

"Well, that's not good." Octavia said as she cut the pizzas into slices.

Bringing the pizza cutter over to the dishwasher, she opened it and knelt down to set it inside. When she stood back up quickly, she felt herself become light headed to the point that she grabbed hold of the kitchen counter.

"Whoa there." Octavia whispered, shutting her eyes to recollect herself.

Opening her eyes back up, Octavia turned to grab the pizza trays to bringing into the living room when she felt herself still lightheaded. Her legs felt as if they were trembling underneath her weight. She grabbed the counter to hold herself up, but the lightheaded feeling was not going away.

Instead, it began to get worst to the point that black spots were taking over.

"Annabelle. Anna…"

… **..**

Annabelle heard her name being called from the dining room.

Knowing that her mommy was taking out the pizzas, Annabelle had a feeling that her mommy needed help with bringing the pizza in.

With a skip in her step, Annabelle went into the kitchen to see no one there. She made a low humming sound and began to look around, knowing that she heard her mommy's voice coming from here.

"Mommy." Annabelle stepped more into the kitchen and walked around.

That was when Annabelle saw her mommy lying on the ground behind the kitchen island, not moving.

"Mommy!"

… **..**

… **..**

… **..**

… **..**

… **..**

 **Hi Everyone,**

 **Here was a new chapter.**

 **Thank You!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter:** Little Sneakers

… **..**

… **..**

… **..**

An unmarked SUV speeded through the front entrance of the hospital. Before the SUV was put into park, David was already bursting out the passenger seat and out of the vehicle, running to the doors of the hospital. Morgan put the SUV into park and ran after the older agent.

Upon entering, David slid up to the front desk of the hospital and slammed his hands down on the countertop, staring at the receptionist with a panic expression.

"I am looking for Dr. Octavia Mercer. She came in here."

"One moment, sir."

"I don't have a moment." David snapped.

"What he meant to say is okay." Morgan smiled at the receptionist before he grabbed David by the shoulders and pulled him away from the desk.

David brushed Morgan's hands off his shoulders and he began pacing.

The call from Annabelle, crying on the phone and explained to David that mommy wasn't moving, but she was still breathing had complete terrified David. Being the smart little girl that Annabelle was, she told David that she had called an ambulance before she had called him. He praised her a job well done for her thinking and assured her that he will be at the hospital as quick as possible.

At first, David thought that Octavia might had got in contact with the strain, but there wasn't a way for her to get it. Her office was not contaminated and she was at his workplace the whole time with Garcia.

"She is in room 307."

Without a second thought, David rushed through the double doors and into a long hallway. Morgan had to speed walk after David to keep up. The two went up the elevator to the third floor. When the doors were opened enough, David escaped through the elevator and rush down the hallway until he came to the room that Octavia was in. Upon entering, David stopped to stare at a half-awaken Octavia on the bed and Annabelle arousing from a nap on the bed.

"David."

"Oh sweetheart, what happened?" David went right up to her and cupped the side of her cheeks.

"David, I have something to tell you and..." Octavia stop talking when she saw Morgan step into the room.

"Hey there, beautiful. Is everything good? You have us all worry."

"Perfect. Thank you for the concern." Octavia smiled at Morgan.

When there were no more words, Morgan glanced between the couple to see that he interrupted something before he came in. His eyes moved to Annabelle to see her sitting up, rubbing her eyes and then immediately jumped David. Morgan chuckled.

"Morgan, do you mind taking Annabelle to get something to eat. We never got to eat the pizza I made at home."

"Yeah, no problem. Come on, kid. Let's get something good."

"Okay." Annabelle was set down on the ground by David before she ran up to Morgan, accepting his outstretched hand and the two left the room. The door shut behind the two.

David sat down on the edge of the bed and grabbed Octavia's hand, caressing the back of it.

"What do you need to tell me?" David whispered, concern laced in his eyes, especially when she got a glint of fear in her eyes.

"I am just going to come out and say it. Well, first, I understand if you don't react in a good way. I understand if you can't do it. I did it before, I can do it again."

"Octavia, what are you saying. Tell me." David reached up with his other hand to caress the side of face in a gentle manner.

"I'm pregnant, David."

His hand froze against her face.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" David blinked rapidly.

"Pregnant. Two months to be exact."

His mouth dropped and his hand dropped away from her face.

Octavia began to suck in her bottom lip, feeling as if he wasn't happy about this. He seemed to be in shock at this new information that hit him. But then a huge smile appeared on David's lips.

Both his hands cupped either side of her face and he leaned forward to press his lips against her own. He pulled back, still smiling and his brown eyes had a spark of happiness in them.

To say the least, Octavia was a bit shock that David took the news so well.

"So, I take it you're happy?"

"Happy. Thrilled. Excited. Oh, why would you think that I wouldn't react in such a good way or leave you. No, no, a baby we made together is amazing. But how did it happen? I mean I know how babies are made, but what I mean…"

A finger on his lips made David to stop babbling.

"My birth control must had not agreed with the antibiotics I had to take for my teeth that time."

"I see."

One of David's hands slid off her face to hover over her lower belly before resting there. The smile still on his lips as he couldn't believe that Octavia was pregnant. She was carrying his child. Through all the years, deep down David wanted a child. His first marriage, there was a baby, but not for long. The other marriages never produced. Now, here was Octavia pregnant with his child. Even if he was in his early fifties, David did not care. He was thrilled that Octavia and he were going to be having a baby.

"I am to not overstrain myself due to being high risk because I am forty years of age. So, are you prepared for being around a pregnant lady, David."

"Yes, I can't wait for you to blossom." David leaned forward to press his lips against her forehead before he pulled back to bump their foreheads together.

"Have I told you that I love you."

"Many times."

"And I won't get tire of saying it."

Adjusting each other in the bed, David managed to figure out a way for him to lie down with Octavia cuddled into his side.

"Annabelle knows already."

"How did she react?"

"Excited. She was literally bouncing around the room while shouting that she was going to be a big sister."

David chuckled as he could imagine the six year old running wild around the room, shouting for everyone to hear on how she was going to be a big sister.

"How are we going to tell the team?"

For a few seconds Octavia got a thinking look on her face before a sly grin came onto her lips.

"I think that I have an idea."

… **..**

… **.. Next Day: …..**

… **..**

In the morning with the team rolling into the bullpen where most of them came in together at the same time. With no case, the BAU team will mostly do paperwork that they have to catch up on. Twenty minutes passed until the whole BAU team were at their desk, doing paperwork.

Everyone cell phones went off at the same time making them to know it was a group text. At first they thought it was Hotch that sent them a message about a case, but saw it was Octavia's number.

"Open your top left draw." Morgan read the text message out loud.

Morgan, Reid, and Emily, whom desk were in the open bullpen opened their desk drawers. Inside was a small, perfectly wrapped present in silver wrapping paper with a red bow.

Their heads lifted up to catch sight of Hotch speed walking out of his office to disappear into David's office. Then JJ came running through the bullpen and up into David's office. Next was Garcia, who was trying to go as quick as she could in her heels.

"Oh!" Emily held up two small baby sneakers after she opened the box.

Reid pulled out the same sneakers, but they were in a different color. Morgan pulled out a pair to see the same sneakers, but in a different color also.

There was a small card in each of their presents that either said, 'zio' or 'zia.'

"This is in Italian. Mine's uncle." Reid pointed out.

"Mine's aunt."

"Wait...no way!" Morgan shouted, shooting up from his seat.

Immediately the three ran into David's office where David was all smiles. Octavia was laughing as she hugged Garcia, who was rocking them back and forth.

"You're pregnant!" Emily said, lunging toward Octavia to hug her next.

"Two months. That's why I fainted yesterday." Octavia explained.

"Wow, Rossi, didn't know you still had it in you." Morgan chuckled as he stepped up to David, shaking his hand but then pulled him into a hug, patting his back and still chuckling along with David.

"This is so exciting." JJ clapped her hands together, smiling.

"The stallion still has it in him." Garcia wagged her eyebrows causing David to shake his head, trying not to grin.

"I am happy for you two." Hotch gave the tiniest of grins.

"Oh my, can you imagine how beautiful this baby will be? With our lovely Italian stallion and then our beautiful Octavia, who is Italian, Scottish and Native American. Argh, the baby will be absolutely beautiful." Garcia rambled on, waving her hands about.

"Please, don't say more. I already planned to lock Annabelle in the house and not let her go on dates till she is forty."

"David!" Octavia slapped him playfully in the stomach.

"Imagine him having another daughter." Morgan muttered to Hotch, who tried not to show amusement, but a grin cracked on his face again.

"I think it's going to be a boy." JJ said.

"I do too actually." Octavia agreed.

"I can't get over this. I can't wait to start buying all sorts of baby toys and clothes for the little Rossi." Garcia said, glancing back and forth between Octavia and Rossi.

"Can't wait." Rossi mumbled dryly.

After the excited celebration, Octavia stood before David. He brought his right hand up to her face to caress the side of her face gently. She looked up at him with her bluish green eyes to make connection with his dark brown eyes.

"I think that went well." Octavia said.

"Yes, now, we will be receiving gifts all the time."

"Mostly from Garcia."

"It'll be fun." Octavia patted his chest.

His left hand rested against her lower stomach.

"You should rest."

"I will. I am going to go home and relax since my doctor's building is getting worked on with that leak." Octavia smiled with a wink.

"I forgot about that excuse you used to get everyone out of the building." David said with a grin, his hand stayed on her lower stomach where their baby grew.

"I'm going to go home, put my feet up and eat Oreos." Octavia told him, leaning up to peck his lips then pulled away.

Octavia began making way to the door.

"Don't eat all the Oreos."

Octavia turned halfway to stare at David with her hands resting against her lower belly.

"Feeding two here." Octavia rubbed her belly and she stepped out of his office.

David smiled when she mentioned the baby. He followed her out of the office and stood on the platform, gripping the railing as he stared after Octavia.

"They're not healthy!" David called after her.

"Still eating them." Octavia looked over her shoulder saying as she walked down the stairs.

"Save me some then."

"I'll try to." Octavia waved to the BAU team as she walked out of the bullpen.

The team stared at David where he gave a huff before he saw that the others were eyeing him with various raised eyebrows and amused expressions.

"Don't you got reports to do." David said and made way back into his office, thinking how he will most likely have to make a stop at the store on the way home to get more Oreos.

… **..**

… **..**

… **..**

… **..**

… **..**

 **Hi Everyone,**

 **Here was a new chapter.**

 **Thanks!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter:** Cupcakes

 **…** **..**

 **…** **.. A Couple Weeks Later: …..**

 **…** **..**

"You all right?"

"It is like now that I know that I am pregnant, the baby is like surprise mommy, I will make you suffer morning sickness."

David tried not to grin as he did not want to show any sort of amusement due to Octavia having morning sickness. He eyed her as she rested her right hand on her lower belly, giving it a small rub.

"Do you want breakfast?" David asked as he nodded to the dishes that held various breakfast foods.

When Octavia caught sight of the scramble eggs, she felt as if her smelling senses intensified. She put her left hand over her mouth and looked around for something to throw up in, but she open the back door to run outside to throw up over the deck railing.

Shutting off the stove, David went after Octavia to see her dry heaving over the railing. He stepped beside her to rub her back until she was finished. When she stood up, David led her back inside and made her sit at the kitchen island in his home.

He set a glass of water before her, watching her take a few sips with small caution as if she was afraid she will get an upset stomach again. Brushing a few strands that escaped from her messy bun on the back of her head, David laid his lips against the side of her head.

"Do you want me to get you anything?"

"You got any saltine crackers?"

"I do." David walked over to one of the cabinets to open it up and pulled out a box of saltine crackers.

"Do you want to try to eat some breakfast, not the eggs though?"

Octavia nodded making David to make a plate with small portions. He set it down before her, kissing the side of her head before making himself a plate to eat beside her. Not wanting Octavia to throw up again, David did not put any eggs on his plate.

"So, I was thinking."

"About?" Octavia glanced at him as she slowly bit into a piece of bacon.

"If you want to officially live together. Annabelle and you move here."

Rapidly blinking, caught off guard. She open her mouth then shut it.

It was a big commitment, but then again Octavia glance down at her belly where David and her belly grew. They were mostly living with each other anyways. Annabelle was beginning to see David in a fatherly role and now Octavia has a baby on the way. Moving in would not be a big difference.

"If I overstepped my boundary, I am sorry. But just think about it." David said as he saw how long it was taking Octavia to answer.

"Actually, I was going to tell you that I need help with selling my place and need help with moving everything here."

Arm wrapping around her hips, David rested his chin on her shoulder.

"You made me the happiest man yet again, my dear."

"Glad to do so." Octavia turned her head to give him a small peck on the lips.

 **…** **..**

 **…** **.. Few Days Later: …..**

 **…** **..**

Whenever there was service, David kept checking in with Octavia wellbeing.

Going on cases, David knew that they could either be short or long. He was reminded by Octavia that it was his job and she understands that he might be gone for long days. But David did know that at times, the significant other will sometimes get upset when there was no time spent with them or the family. David personally knew that due to his previous marriages then seeing Hotch marriage break apart into a divorce, that this job got in the way of relationships.

David sent Octavia a text that the case was running slowly and it might take a couple of days. He received a text back to which Octavia told him to stay safe and she'll see him when he gets back. Sometimes there were times that David waited for a text message to cuss him out or be a negative comment. But Octavia wasn't like that. She wasn't someone to be mean. If she was, then someone really pushed her buttons or was mean toward her family.

"How's the mama?"

David looked away from his cell phone to stare up at Morgan stepping into the conference room at the police station they were set up in.

"Good, she hit the three month mark today."

"How are you doing?" Morgan lowly asked.

A long exhale escaped David as he set his cell phone down on the table.

The reason behind Morgan asking David this question with a hint of concern due to the case they were currently working on. The case had to do with an unsub impregnating his victims and let them carry out the process until birth. Then kill the mother after she gives birth. It made David stomach to turn as he technically had his own family.

"Lasting. Trying to stay strong."

"Aren't we all." Morgan said.

"I will be fine once we get this guy."

"Yeah, agree." Morgan nodded before looking up to see Hotch walking around.

Morgan eyes narrowed on Hotch making David eyebrows to raise. David did not say anything as he heard through the grapevine that Hotch has been getting some heat from Strauss. Staying out of it, David just been observing. He has been noticing Hotch getting tough on Morgan, which made David to think of a few things on the reason why. Either preparing Morgan for a promotion or being transferred or fired.

Not wanting to get involved at the moment, David stood up from his seat.

"I need to go with Reid on his process with his maps." David quickly said as he left.

David went outside where he found Reid waiting by the rental SUV on his crutches. He gave a smile to David before hobbling over to the SUV.

"Let's go boy wonder." David pulled on his sunglasses before getting into the driver's seat of the SUV and started it up with Reid in the passenger seat.

 **…** **..**

 **…** **.. A Couple Days Later: …..**

 **…** **..**

"Careful, Belle, I don't want you moving too much on the stool. I don't want you to fall."

Annabelle nodded as she stood on a stool in the kitchen helping with Octavia on decorating cupcakes.

After picking Annabelle up from school after work, Octavia had the sudden urge to make cupcakes. There was about twenty cupcakes all together. There were a mixture of chocolate and vanilla cupcakes. They would keep ten cupcakes for the house and then Annabelle said the rest will go to the BAU team.

"Something smells good."

"David!" Annabelle shouted, climbing down the stool.

Octavia smiled and turn to face the kitchen doorway. She watched as Annabelle ran into David's arms. He lifted her up after setting down his bag.

"Oh, you have frosting on your hands. What is your mother and you up to?"

"Cupcakes!" Annabelle said, holding her hands away from David as she did not want to get frosting on him.

"Cupcakes? Is there one for me?"

"Of course." Annabelle answered as if David asked a silly question causing him to chuckle.

Setting Annabelle back down on the stool where she went back to decorating the cupcakes with various sprinkles and candy, David walked up to Octavia.

Hands coming onto her hips, happy to be home and finished with the case, David lowered his head down to press his lips against Octavia lips in a passionate manner. When he pulled back, resting his forehead against her own, Octavia open her eyes to stare into his.

"Tough one?"

"Yes. Too close to home." David whispered as his right hand laid against her lower stomach.

"It was about babies?"

A simple nod made Octavia to shut her eyes for a few moments before reopening her eyes to stare into his.

"Well, the team and you solved it. I'm happy that you came home safe and back to Annabelle, the baby and I."

"I'm always looking forward to walking into your arms." David whispered to her.

Octavia stared into his eyes a few more seconds before pulling away. She glanced at Annabelle, who was concentrating on doing a swirl on top of the frosting of the cupcake with various sprinkles.

"Belle, you are making a mess."

"But it's creative."

"Yes, it is." Octavia made a face as sprinkles were dropping on the floor and all over the counter.

David shook his head with a small grin as he watched Annabelle and Octavia decorating cupcakes. Annabelle soon faced him and held a cupcake out to him.

"Help decorate."

"Me? Are you sure you want me to decorate a cupcake?" David pointed to his chest.

"Yes."

"I can't eat it?"

"No silly. You have to make it pretty first." Annabelle told him with her hands on her hips.

"Oooh okay." David stepped up beside Octavia to decorate the cupcake.

"Be creative, David." Octavia softly said into his ear.

Bending his head down to press his mouth close to Octavia's ear, David spoke in a low voice for only Octavia to hear.

"Let's save some frosting and then I can show you my creativity later on." David seem to purr into her ear.

Trying to gasp out or fluster too much, Octavia shot him a heated look that contained a flicker of desire before disappearing. She simply gave him a small grin and went back to frosting one of the cupcakes.

David smirked as he saw how Octavia was trying to keep herself composed. He wiped some frosting on her cheek making her to stare at him with raised eyebrows. But David lean forward to press his lips against her cheek to get the frosting off then pulled back.

"You taste sweet." David said.

"That was so corny." Octavia snorted with an amused look across her facial expression.

That got a bark of a laugh out of David.

"Mommy, look at my cupcake." Annabelle turn in her stool to hold up a cupcake that was literally covered in about five different sprinkle colors.

"Oh wow. Look at how pretty that design is." Octavia praised Annabelle.

When the cupcakes were all decorated, Octavia sent Annabelle upstairs to go wash up. The cupcakes that were going to the BAU team were put into a container and set on the kitchen island for David to take with him to work.

David helped Octavia clean up the kitchen.

With everything cleaned, David slid himself up behind Octavia and rested his hands on her hips. He rested his chin on her left shoulder, gently swaying their hips back and forth.

"I see that you mostly have everything unpacked."

"Indeed."

"Do you want me to make dinner since you clearly made dessert?"

"If you don't mind? I think I need a nap."

"Go dear." David pressed his lips against the side of her head.

Octavia turn to face him, gently resting her hand against the side of his face to peck his lips with a soft 'thank you' before she left the room to take a nap on the living couch.

 **…** **..**

 **…** **..**

 **…** **..**

 **…** **..**

 **…** **..**

 **Hi Everyone,**

 **Here was a new chapter.**

 **This was a filler chapter.**

 **Thank You!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter:** Protect Them First

 **…** **..**

 **…** **..**

 **…** **..**

David walked up the staircase, looking for Octavia.

With Octavia and Annabelle moved into his home, or rather, he told them that it was called a mansion. He found that it was nice to have both of them by him, finding it nice to not live alone anymore. David noted that it was pleasant to come home with laughter and someone to welcome him back home.

Walking to an end of the hallway where Annabelle's bedroom was, he came to a pause in the doorway of the spare room that was across from Annabelle's bedroom. This spare bedroom was to be the nursery. Presently, sitting on top of a cushion in the middle of the room was Octavia. She had palettes of various paint colors spread out in front of her. There were papers with drawings scattered around her too.

"Trying to think of ideas, love?" David walked into the room to come stand behind her, staring down at all the nursery ideas that surrounded her.

"Yes."

"Any one of these sticks out?" David asked, coming to knelt down beside her.

"I am stuck between the forest or the night sky over an ocean."

"Hmm." David eyed the designs before he glanced around the room.

The room was good size with two windows that overlook the backyard. The walls were tall and long, two doors on one wall—a bedroom door and a walk-in closet.

"What about both designs?" David said.

Her eyes came to rest on him, thinking about what he meant by that.

"Think about this. A night time theme with a forest look on two walls that overlook an ocean on the other two walls. It'll be a forest overlooking an ocean in the night." David gestured his left hand toward the walls.

A low hum emitted from Octavia as she let her eyes scanned the room before her eyes came to rest on David. A smile was coming onto her lips. She brought her left hand up, resting against the side of David's neck making him to bend down to peck her lips.

"Now, I brought home takeout."

"Sesame chicken?" Octavia eyed him.

"Yes, since you were craving it."

"Oh, you are a good man." Octavia smiled.

David stood up, holding out his hands for Octavia to place hers in them. He helped her to stand up, and then he was hugging her to him since she stagger a bit into his arms with a gentle laugh. David let his right hand brush over her belly, feeling the raise of her pregnant belly.

"Come on, mama." David led her out of the soon to be nursery to lead her back downstairs.

 **…** **..**

 **…** **.. A Month Later: …..**

 **…** **..**

At four and a half months pregnant, she was beginning to show. Octavia walked out of the exam room after she finished the check up with a patient. She dropped the files off at the front desk before she was walking to the staff room to get something to snack on.

"How's the pregnancy going?" Missy appeared in the staff room.

Octavia was siting at the table with a container containing carrot sticks in them.

"I am doing good. I do have to go to the OBGYN more than usual due to my age, but everything is going well."

"You should be finding out the sex of the baby soon."

"Yes." Octavia rested her left hand on top of her belly.

"How's David?"

"He is doing good. He is very excited. He can't wait to find out if the baby is a boy or girl." Octavia answered.

"Is David out on a job? Usually he pops in for a visit whenever you're working."

"Yes, he is working a local case." Octavia said, not giving any more detail since she didn't want to spread anything about what David does for a job.

Most of the cases that the team and David worked on were not to be brought out into the public eye unless the team made a statement to the media. Though, there were times that the cases did not get brought up to the public; thus, Octavia kept it to herself. But also, there were times that David did not even mention about what the case was about to Octavia.

Another nurse walked into the staff room with a report of the next patient. Octavia glanced at the nurse, and then finished up the carrot stick she had bit into. She shut the container and sat up from her seat, walking over to the fridge to put the container back, and then she turn to Missy.

"I will be about five minutes." Octavia said.

Octavia nodded as she walked over the sink to wash her hands while Missy went to the exam room where the new patient was to do the usual weight, height, blood pressure and so forth. She waited a couple more minutes before she made her way to the exam room where she grabbed the clipboard from Missy, who had just walked out.

Taking a deep inhale, caressing her pregnant stomach, Octavia put a grin on her lips and she walked into the exam room.

 **…** **..**

 **…** **.. The Next Day: …..**

 **…** **..**

After work, and picking up Annabelle, Octavia went home to make dinner. She did not want to stop moving because she knew that if she sat down, she would fall asleep.

Deciding to make chicken and broccoli alfredo, Octavia finished the meal before David got home. She was setting down a plate before Annabelle with her drink when David came rushing in.

"Octavia! Annabelle!"

"David, we are in here." Octavia stood up straight, concern running through her as she heard the desperation in David's voice.

Resting her hand on Annabelle's shoulder in a gentle manner, Octavia left the dining room to step into the hallway where David came charging her. His hands came on her shoulders and he stared at her with concern.

"David, you're slightly scaring me."

"Remember that go-bag that I told you to pack for Annabelle and you if anything ever came up. Well, something came up." David told her, pulling his hands away to move over to the stairs to go grab their go-grab.

"David, what is going on?" Octavia chased after David up the flight of stairs.

Not around Annabelle for her to hear, David turned in the hallway to step up to Octavia. He reached up with his right hand, pressing against the side of her face.

"Remember that case that I told you about in Boston about the Reaper?"

"Yes."

"He is tracking Aaron's family."

"But isn't Haley and Jack on witness protection?"

"Yeah, but this ma, Foyet is very dangerous. I need to bring you in the BAU for my own caution. I want Annabelle, the baby and you to be in a safe place. I don't know what this Foyet will do, but he'll do anything to get to Aaron while messing with everyone in Aaron's life." David explained, reaching up to cup her face in both hands now.

Octavia open her mouth then shut it, not believing that this was actually happening. She swallowed a bit harder than usual and gave a nod.

"Can you get Annabelle, I will get our things." Octavia said in a low tone.

"Of course. I'm sorry for this."

"It's all right. I rather be overly cautious." Octavia gave him a tiny grin before she was walking the rest of the hallway to go into Annabelle's bedroom first to gather her things.

Octavia got the go-bag that contained Annabelle's clothes and a few other necessities. She grabbed Annabelle's backpack to fill it up with a couple of books, her sketchbook and her favorite stuffed animal. With that done, Octavia went to the master bedroom to get her items before she went back downstairs.

"I packed the food away. Annabelle is all set." David told Octavia.

"Okay." Octavia nodded.

"Mommy, David said we are going to his job to hang out for a bit."

"Yes, we are. We are going to spend some time there."

"Do you think Penelope will do my hair?"

"She might be busy, but maybe after." Octavia said, running her hand through Annabelle's hair before Octavia glance at David.

David gave a nod, leading them out of the house, and toward the SUV that David and the team usually used for work.

"Morgan!" Annabelle ran at Morgan as he stood by the driver's door.

"Hey there, little missy." Morgan grinned as he picked Annabelle up before she could run straight into his legs.

"David." Octavia whispered, pausing in the walkway.

"Yes, love?" David turned to face her.

"If there was anything that ever happen…"

"Octavia…"

"No, let me say this." Octavia held up a hand to let her finish.

Her emotions were getting to her as she felt the familiar tears building up and her nose was becoming a little congested. She could see that there was tears building up in David's eyes as they both could feel their emotions bouncing off of each other.

"Protect Annabelle first. Protect our children first. They're always first. Okay?" Octavia told him, taking in a deep inhale to calm herself down.

David face scrunched up a tad bit, especially around the eyes as he held back his emotions. He open his mouth to say a reply, but shut it as he only could give a nod of his head. He stepped closer and grabbed her hands, staring straight into her eyes as if staring deep within her soul.

"Hopefully, it will never come down to that."

Octavia gave him a tiny grin with a nod.

Without anymore words, David held one of her hands, gave it a gentle squeeze before he led her to the SUV to bring her to an area where Annabelle, the baby and she would be safe.

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 **Hi Everyone,**

 **Here is a new chapter.**

 **When I watched this episode and then the one right after that, I couldn't stop the tears.**

 **Please Enjoy. Review. Follow. Favorite.**

 **Thank You!**


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